Chennai: 40 sovereigns of gold chains robbed in 24 hrs

Chennai: In a span of 24 hours, at least seven cases of chain-snatching were reported in the city leaving the police perturbed as much as the victims. Among the victims is also the wife of an office assistant of education minister K. A. Sengottaiyan, police sources said.

Mariya Kavitha (32) of Mylapore was walking back home with her husband, Irudayaraj, assistant to the minister, when bike-borne men relieved her of her five sovereign gold chain near Santhome high road on Monday night. Iruthayaraj made a futile attempt to catch hold of the duo, but they fled following which the couple filed a complaint with the Mylapore police. Police said that they are perusing CCTV cameras in the neighbourhood.

In another incident in Anna Nagar (east), S Sutha, a resident of VOC Nagar,  was walking back home from a nearby shop when bike-borne men fled with her eight sovereign gold chain.

“Near central railway station, Surya Prabha (36), a resident of RV Nagar, was robbed of her 6.5 sovereigns gold chain on Monday evening,” a police officer said. S. Gomathi (38) of T P Chatram lost two of her gold chains - a 4.5 sovereign one and another 1.5 sovereign chain. M. Revathi (30) of Veeramamunivar street, Mogappair, too lost two of her gold chains worth 12 sovereigns on Monday night, police said.

On Rithardon road in Vepery, a few meters away from the police commissioner’s office, K. Loganayaki (46), a teacher, was robbed of her five sovereign gold chain when she was returning from school.   M. Mary Kamala, 48, of Moola Kadai also lost her five sovereign gold chain on Monday night, police sources said.

Police have launched hunt for the suspects, but officials say that with new offenders cropping in like college students and working professionals, zeroing in on the accused becomes a tough ask.