One gold biscuit, cash and a silver anklet were found in the backyard of a house that belongs to a tribal man near Arakkonam town in Ranipet on Saturday.
The police said that one gold biscuit that weighs 1.76 grams, ₹ 1.10 lakh cash in 500 rupee notes and silver were found in the house of K. Murugan (50), who belongs to Irular community, in Kainoor village when the police rushed to his house after he alerted them that a few youngsters trashed him, demanding money from him.
An initial inquiry by the police revealed that Murugan was living with his wife in a hut in the village for many years. He was a contract sanitary worker in the village panchayat and often involved in cleaning open drains, especially on big stretches in Arakkonam town when employed by individuals and shop owners.
On one such occasion, he told police that he found a yellow bag that contained a gold biscuit, cash and a silver anklet in a dustbin along the drain of the Old Bazaar Road in Arakkonam a few months ago. The stretch was known for big jewellery showrooms and goldsmith workshops in the town, police said.
Further, the police said that he buried the bag in the backyard of his house. A couple of times, he used to break a portion of a gold biscuit and sell it in the open market. He used the money to repair his house. He also bought a television. However, neighbours got suspicious and a few youngsters in the village threatened to part his money with them. As he refused, they beat him before the police rescued the tribal man.
Later, the police informed revenue officials in Arakkonam. They inspected the gold biscuit and other items found in the backyard. A case has been registered by the Arakkonam Town police.
Meanwhile, two sovereigns of gold jewellery, half kilogram of silver and ₹ 40,000 cash were stolen from the house of S. Vennila (53), an office assistant (OA) at the Department of Prisons in Chennai, in Marimangalam village near Arakkonam on Saturday when she was away at her son’s house in Chennai. She returned on Saturday morning and found that the almirah in the house was broken and valuables were missing. She alerted the Arakkonam Taluk police, who inspected the spot. A case has been filed. Further investigation is on, police said.
