On trail of accused, Tiruvallur police unearths lathe unit to make machetes

The unit was unearthed during the investigation of a robbery complaint received on the dedicated phone number of Tiruvallur police launched by SP Varun Kumar. The victim D Suresh Kumar (34) of Coimbatore wanted to buy a used two-wheeler and approached Hari of Manali, whom he knew for three months. Hari allegedly assured that he can get a bike for Rs 20,000 and asked Suresh Kumar to come to Chennai with the money. Suresh and Shankar (his friend) reached Chennai and when at Kanlur village was allegedly threatened at gunpoint and attacked to part with money. Meanwhile, the victims identified two of the suspects Mohan Chand and Saran alias Vicky , who were picked up. Based on their confession, police raided an abandoned building on Satyavedu Salai and were shocked to find a lathe unit making machetes. Police secured seven men. While they admitted that they were part of the robbery, investigation revealed that the building was used to make machetes to rowdy elements in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Chengalpattu on pre-order basis. The accused were identified as Mohan Chand, Saran alias Vicky, Thangaraj, Shankar, Mani, Bonda Mani, Sriram, Thalapathy and Manikandan. All nine were arrested and remanded in judicial custody.