Wayanad chain-snatching cases: Two more held, total arrests rise to seven

Wayanad: Police on Wednesday arrested two more persons in connection with a series of chain-snatching incidents reported across Wayanad in recent days, taking the total number of arrests in the cases to seven.

The latest arrests are M Ravi (48), a native of Chinthamani in Madurai, and M Marimuthu alias Pandyan (39), of Madapura near Sivaganga in Tamil Nadu.

Acting on the directions of District Police Chief Devamanohar, a special team comprising the Special Action Group against Organised Crimes (SAGOC) and Sulthan Bathery police took the two into custody from Aikkarappady in Malappuram district, where they were staying in a rented house, police said.

The investigation established links between Ravi and Easwari (47), and between Marimuthu and Kannaki alias Arhana alias Remya (30), who were arrested earlier in connection with a chain-snatching case in Sulthan Bathery.

Police said scientific and technical investigations helped establish the links between the accused and their associates. Although Easwari and Remya initially claimed that they had been operating independently, investigators identified Ravi, Easwari's husband, and Marimuthu, Remya's husband, as their associates.

The two men helped the women dispose of the stolen gold ornaments and shared the proceeds from their sale, police said.

Chain snatching from elderly woman
Easwari and Remya were arrested on Monday in connection with the theft of a gold chain from an elderly woman travelling by bus from Ammayippalam to Sulthan Bathery.

The woman was wearing a three-sovereign gold chain and a one-gram thali. The chain was snatched while the bus was travelling along the route, and she realised it was missing only after the bus reached Gandhi Junction in Sulthan Bathery. The stolen gold was estimated to be worth ₹3.82 lakh.

Police formed three teams to investigate the incident and examined CCTV footage and other scientific evidence. The investigation led to the arrest of Easwari and Remya from the Meenangadi panchayat premises on the same day.

According to police, Easwari has cases registered against her at police stations in Panoor in Kannur, Vadanappally in Thrissur and Adoor in Pathanamthitta. Remya is an accused in cases registered at Thrissur West and Koyilandy.

Three women remanded
Meanwhile, Pulppally police remanded three women who were arrested on Tuesday in connection with an attempt to snatch the gold chain of an elderly woman at Amarakkuni near Pulppally.

Those arrested are Indumathi (49), of Ganapathy Kovil Theruvu, Tamil Nadu; Janvi (43); and Sudha (31), both from Ganapathy Pakkam in Tamil Nadu.

The arrests are part of an intensified police operation across Wayanad following a series of chain-snatching incidents, particularly targeting elderly women travelling on buses and at busy transit points.

Mananthavady Additional Superintendent of Police Karthik Balakumar, Sulthan Bathery DYSP Abdul Karim and Mananthavady SMS DYSP T A Augustin coordinated the investigation.

Police said the investigation is continuing to determine whether the arrested persons are part of a larger inter-district gang and to identify others allegedly involved in the theft, transportation and disposal of the stolen gold.