Private security guard among four held for assault, burglary at exporter’s house

Four arrested for assault and burglary of leather exporter in Tirupattur, Andhra Pradesh; police track down gang through CCTV footage.

A 45-year-old private security guard from Tirupathi in Andhra Pradesh was among four persons arrested by Vaniyambadi Town police in Tirupattur on Wednesday for assault and burglary of a leather exporter in his house in the town a few days ago.

Police said the arrested persons were identified as K. Arun Kumar, a native of Tirupati and V. Sarada Kumari (39) of Chittoor, from Andhra Pradesh, K. Sakthivel (38), a resident of Vaniyambadi, and V. Elavarasan (42), a native of Tirupattur.

Initial inquiry revealed that victim Mohammed Imitaz (65), who runs a leather factory in Vaniyambadi, employed Sakthivel as a security guard in his house in Vaniyambadi town a few months ago. Imitaz was living with his wife Begum Sabana (59) in the house with their two daughters living abroad.

Police said that during his work in the house, Sakthivel noticed gold jewellery and silver objects in the house. He also listened to conversations of Imitaz on his properties in the town and elsewhere with his friends.

Police said during a routine meeting with his childhood friend Ellavarasan, Sakthivel shared these details. Subsequently, the duo got in touch with a gang led by Arun Kumar in Tirupathi. Along with Sarada Kumari, they hatched a plan to rob the valuables in the house. On Monday, the gang barged into the house. They tied the couple up and tried to steal valuables from cupboards in the house. However, Imitaz’s wife Sabaha raised an alarm.

Immediately, residents in the area rescued the couple. The gang managed to escape with a few electronic gadgets from the house. Images of the suspects were captured in CCTV footage in the house. A case was registered. Special police teams tracked down the gang through the CCTV footage and the suspects’ mobile phone tower location and arrested the gang from their hideout in Chittoor. They were lodged in the sub-jail in Tirupattur town. A probe is underway.