Tamil Nadu: A gang of seven persons allegedly involved in the robbery at three ATMs in Thrissur district in the wee hours of Friday has been arrested by the police.

Tamil Nadu Police shot at and nabbed the gang, when its members brazenly attempted to flee after ramming into cars and two wheelers at Kumarapalayam in Namakkal district, a senior police official said.

The police, on a hot chase of the container truck, initially warned the driver to stop the vehicle. But when he refused to heed, additional forces were rushed and the truck was finally intercepted.

"The police had to open fire at a person who attempted to flee from the truck, and nabbed him. Six others were also detained," the official said.

A car which was concealed inside the truck was also seized. Inquiries were on to confirm that it was the same gang that was involved in the major heist at three separate ATMs in Thrissur district, he said.

Details of Thrissur robbery

The gang allegedly stole nearly Rs 65 lakh from ATMs located on Shornur Road, Kolazhy and Mapranam in Thrissur. Using masks and a gas cutter, they targeted the ATMs in the early hours after arriving in a white vehicle. One of the machines had been refilled with Rs 35 lakh the previous day, which may have attracted the criminals.

Authorities believe the robbers observed the refilling process and meticulously planned their operation. The selected ATMs were located in quieter areas with fewer withdrawals, making them prime targets for the gang.

Each ATM was under the jurisdiction of different police stations, likely an intentional tactic by the robbers to create confusion during the investigation and buy time to flee the state. Thrissur police suspect the heist was executed by a professional gang.

Robbery timing and execution

The heist was carried out at 3 am, a time when police patrols are minimal. This allowed the gang to act quickly, fleeing before officers could respond. The suspects reportedly knew the time it would take for police to react to an ATM alarm and planned the robbery accordingly.

Using gas cutters, the gang swiftly emptied the ATMs within ten minutes. After looting the cash, they moved to the next location and repeated the process. The suspects then fled by hiding their car inside a container lorry.

Escape route and Tamil Nadu Police involvement

After the robbery, the gang escaped via the Shoranur-Ottapalam route, crossing into Tamil Nadu. Their container lorry headed towards Namakkal via Coimbatore. The plan unravelled when the lorry was involved in an accident, drawing suspicion from Tamil Nadu Police.

Police chase and shootout

The speeding container lorry carrying the stolen car, stolen money, suspects and weapons hit another vehicle. Then the lorry kept going. Getting suspicious, the Tamil Nadu Police followed the container lorry, and attempted to intercept it. However, the suspects refused to stop and continued ramming into other vehicles in an attempt to escape. Eyewitnesses described the ensuing chase as resembling a scene from a movie, with police jeeps and motorcycles in pursuit.

The suspects fired at the police, prompting officers to retaliate. One suspect was killed in the exchange of fire. The remaining members of the gang were arrested following the shootout. Reports suggest that some policemen sustained injuries during the encounter.

North Indian gang's modus operandi

The suspects belong to Nuh district, located on the Haryana-Rajasthan border. Known for targeting ATMs, their method involves breaking open machines with gas cutters and making off with the cash.

The Kerala Police, having received intelligence earlier that morning, suspected this group’s involvement in the Thrissur heist. This led to increased vigilance, with police instructed to search container lorries bearing North Indian registration plates. Kerala Police had also notified Tamil Nadu authorities, prompting them to intercept the gang's vehicle.

This gang had previously escaped to North India after committing robberies in Kerala and crossing into Tamil Nadu, repeating the pattern seen in the recent heist.