Chit fund staff robbed of Rs 1.6 lakh

PUDUCHERRY: A private financial firm employee was waylaid, hacked and then robbed of Rs 1.68 lakh by three unidentified youth at the Canteen street lane in the heart of town on Thursday afternoon. The incident sent shock waves as it happened just 100 meters from the office of the superintendent of police (North) and 200 meters from the UT Assembly.Mustafa (30), hailing from Villupuram in Tamil Nadu, came out of his firm with the cash in a  bag and a cheque, which he deposited in a nearby bank. He then walked back to get his bike parked near his office and was to proceed towards a nationalised bank to deposit the cash.As Mustafa entered Canteen street, two motor cycle-borne youth waylaid him and one of them tried to snatch the cash bag from him.  Mustafa clutched on to the bag with both his hands tightly, thus thwarting the youth’s attempt. Just then another youth, who was in the area on another motorcycle, hacked  Mustafa’s left hand using a long knife hidden inside his shirt.The three youth then sped away, leaving an   injured Mustafa shouting for help and clutching his blood-soaked hand. People, including a few from the financial firm, gathered and rushed Mustafa to the Government Hospital.The police suspect insiders’/former employees’ involvement in passing on the information about the movement of cash to the waiting youth.Notorious Criminal CaughtA notorious criminal wanted for extortion and kidnapping charges, who was rounded up along with a few others under suspicious circumstances, was found to be involved in a chain-snatching incident.SP (North-in charge) N T Sivadasan said the criminal, Arunthamizhan (27) was rounded  up by P Krishnan, station house officer (SHO), Muthialpet on Wednesday night.On receiving information that a group of persons had assembled at Carmel Madam Thoppu, Vellvarai Road, police rushed to the spot. They could secure Arunthamizhan, Sayed  and Giridharan but two persons Ashwin and Sunil, managed to escape. During interrogation, Arunthamizhan confessed that he had snatched a chain from a woman in Muthialpet, on March 13 along with Sayed  and Giridharan.