In yet another case of highway robbery on NH 544 (Salem – Kochi Highway), a Kerala-based jeweller and his aide were carjacked and robbed of 1.25 kg of gold at K.G. Chavadi near Coimbatore on Saturday morning.
The highway robbers, who reportedly conversed in Malayalam, also took away ₹60,000 carried by the jeweller, Jaison Jacob, 55, of Thrissur.
The incident took place around 5.45 a.m. at K.G. Chavadi when Mr. Jacob and his employee S. Vishnu were heading to Thrissur in a car. The duo earlier arrived at the Coimbatore Railway Station by train from Chennai, after purchasing gold, and drove towards Palakkad en route for their return journey to Thrissur.
According to the police, the robbers struck at the car travelled by Mr. Jacob and Mr. Vishnu when they reached near a fuel station at K.G. Chavadi. A truck waylaid their car and a few men, who tailed the duo on another vehicle, approached the car.
When Mr. Jacob and Mr. Vishnu refused to open the doors, the men broke a door glass. They subsequently got into the car and one of them drove it. The men took the gold and cash from the car, before ousting Mr. Jacob and Mr. Vishnu, after travelling for some distance, said the police.
The police suspect that the robbers escaped to Kerala through another route via Velanthavalam. Meanwhile, Mr. Jacob approached the K.G. Chavadi police and sought their help.
Coimbatore District Superintendent of Police K. Karthikeyan visited the scene of crime and constituted special teams to trace the robbers. He said that five persons are suspected to have been involved in the robbery.
“The police have got some strong leads on the robbers and will be arresting them soon. The truck has been located,” he told The Hindu.
Several incidents of highway robberies have taken place in the Tamil Nadu side of NH 544 close to Kerala border in the past.
Published – June 14, 2025 09:08 pm IST
