Police foil shop-burglary in Andhra Pradesh’s Chittoor; four nabbed after three-hour high drama

Armed police foil shop burglary in Chittoor, nab four suspects, launch search for remaining fugitives.

An armed special police party on Wednesday (March 12, 2025) foiled a shop burglary and nabbed four persons, while three others managed to escape after a three-hour high drama on DI Road, in the heart of Chittoor Corporation limits.

According to eyewitnesses, a group of six youths, reportedly led by a local trader, arrived at a kids’ mart near an IDBI bank branch in a mini-van with a “Press” sticker at 7:00 am. The shop occupies two floors, while the owner’s family lives on the third floor. As the group was entering the shop by climbing onto the roof, the owner, Chandrasekhar, noticed them and immediately informed the urban police.

Before the police could arrive, the intruders threatened the owner with a pistol—believed to be a dummy firearm—and hit him on the head, causing a bleeding injury. However, upon spotting the approaching police, all the intruders, including the local trader who led them, rushed into the shop and hid behind racks and merchandise.

As the police entered the shop, one of the suspects—the trader, who was an adversary of the shop owner—ran to the first floor and attempted to jump into an adjoining building. However, he fell to the ground and sustained injuries. A large crowd of locals and police managed to apprehend three other suspects as they attempted to flee, while two others escaped. Another account suggests that the number of fugitives could be three.

Uncertain about the nature of the weapons the intruders possessed, Superintendent of Police V.N. Manikantha Chandolu, who personally took part in the operation, requested the deployment of an Octopus team specializing in special operations. A unit stationed in Tirumala began rushing toward Chittoor. However, before the Octopus team arrived, the local police had already completed the operation and launched a massive search for the remaining suspects.

The police seized the mini-van used in the crime, along with a couple of firearms, which are yet to be verified as real or dummy weapons. The four arrested suspects were taken to the One-Town police station for interrogation. The injured shop owner received outpatient treatment at the Government District Hospital.

According to preliminary information, of the six individuals reportedly hired by the local trader for the burglary, three were from Anantapur and three from Nandyal district. A police officer dismissed speculation that the gang was from Karnataka or other States.