Kerala armed robbery suspect held in West Bengal

A suspect in an armed robbery and a shootout at a gold ornament-manufacturing unit was arrested in West Bengal and was brought in Thrissur on Wednesday.

Dipu, 22, alias Muhammed Shanawaz was arrested at Rishra, 32 km from Kolkata, according to police.

"He was brought by train today," said Sub-Inspector PR Bijoy of the Thrissur East police station.

The robbery took place on November 26 last year. A three-member gang, all from West Bengal, fired on workers at an ornament unit, located in Thrissur town, 80 km from Kochi, and decamped with about 50 sovereigns of gold and cash worth Rs 20, 000.

A few days after the incident, police arrested Imthias, Mehroof and Anwar, all from West Bengal, in connection with the incident.

"Imthias and Mehroof were the masterminds. They did not take part in the operation," the police official told IANS.

It was Shanawaz, Anwar and Chottu who executed the robbery. Anwar was injured after he accidentally shot himself. Shanawaz and Chottu, reportedly brought here from West Bengal to execute the crime, left Kerala immediately after the incident.

"We could not find Chottu as he left the village. When we tried to take Shanawaz into custody, a mob tried to stop us. But we could do the job with the help of local police," Bijoy said.