7 months ago
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After a painstaking inter-State manhunt, the constabulary connected Friday arrested the past fugitive successful the brutal 2021 Sirkazhi treble execution and jewellery heist, bringing to a adjacent a saga that has gripped this coastal municipality for astir 5 years.
The accused, identified arsenic J. Ramesh Patel, was traced and arrested successful Rajasthan connected October 24, pursuing a coordinated cognition led by a four-member peculiar squad from Sirkazhi. The squad — Inspector A. Kamal Raj, sub-inspector T. Veeraragavan, and caput constables A. Poopalan and M. Muthu Balakrishnan (who handled Hindi liaison) — worked connected the instructions of Mayiladuthurai Superintendent of Police G. Stalin and nether supervision of Sirkazhi DSP Annadurai.
The lawsuit dates to the aboriginal hours of January 27, 2021, erstwhile 4 men from Rajasthan allegedly barged into the location of jeweller Dhanraj Choudhary successful Thadalan South Street and carried retired a savage attack. Choudhary’s woman Asha and lad Akhil were killed; the pack escaped with astir 12.5 kg of golden and ₹6.75 lakh successful currency — losses aboriginal valued astatine astir ₹4.62 crore.
A peculiar probe squad rapidly rounded up 3 suspects. During betterment operations, S. Maghipal allegedly attacked officers and was changeable dormant successful an encounter. The different 2 — P. Manish and V. Karunararam — were arrested, tried and, connected April 22, 2025, convicted by the Mayiladuthurai Sessions Court. Manish received 3 beingness terms; Karunararam was fixed two. Both are serving sentences astatine Cuddalore Central Prison.
Patel, however, slipped distant aft a non-bailable warrant was issued against him successful October 2022. “Only Ramesh Patel remained absconding,” SP G. Stalin told The Hindu, summarising years of tracking and quality work. The constabulary archetypal located him astatine Kanguva colony and alerted the section Ahor police; by the clip teams arrived helium had moved astir 300 km. Subsequent method surveillance placed him successful Sivaspura (Jaipur), wherever the Sirkazhi squad yet effected the apprehension with progressive practice from the Jaipur police.
Following his capture, Patel was produced earlier a judicial magistrate successful Jaipur; a transit warrant was obtained and helium was flown to Chennai nether choky security. On Saturday, helium appeared earlier the Mayiladuthurai Sessions Court and has been remanded to judicial custody successful Cuddalore until November 5.
