Chennai: A thief in Tamil Nadu has experimented with an unprecedented and dangerous method of robbery by using his own shirt to cover a railway signal light, forcing a train to a halt before boarding a coach to steal a woman's chain. The robbery took place inside a reserved coach of the Nellai Express, which was travelling from Egmore to Tirunelveli. The police have arrested Kumaresan (36), a resident of Villivakkam, in the incident.

The train departed from Egmore at 8.50 pm on Thursday. Around 10.00 pm, as the train passed Tambaram and reached the section between Potheri and Kattankulathur, the loco pilot was unable to see the signal light. Consequently, the train was brought to a halt. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the signal had been deliberately obscured with a shirt.

While the train's guard was in the process of removing the shirt, Kumaresan boarded the train. He then attempted to snatch an 11-sovereign gold chain from a woman who was walking towards the coach's toilet. Due to the woman's resistance, he was only able to break off a portion of the chain before fleeing the scene within seconds.

The victim is a native of Thoothukudi. Following a search operation conducted by the Tambaram Railway Police, Kumaresan was apprehended.
He already faces around 10 criminal cases registered across the Korukkupet and Royapuram railway police stations and has previously been jailed under the Goondas Act.

The Railway Police noted that tampering with the signal could have resulted in a major train accident. They stated that the crime posed a severe threat to the lives and property of passengers, adding that this is the first time they have encountered a robbery executed in this manner. Kumaresan has been booked under various sections of the law.