COIMBATORE: A 56-year-old goldsmith from Kerala was robbed of Rs 41 lakh in cash by a six-member gang near the Walayar checkpost on the Salem–Kochi National Highway on Thursday. M Lukman, 56, of Naduvattam in Pattambi in Kerala lodged a complaint with the KG Chavadi police stating that he was travelling back to his hometown on his two-wheeler on Thursday morning (KL 55 P 6376) after selling 200 grams of gold bars in Coimbatore.Around 8.30am, a silver-grey car with a Kerala registration number (KL 55 T 5506) tailed Lukman from the city. As he cleared the Walayar checkpost, the car intercepted his scooter, knocking him down. Before he could recover, the gang bundled him into the car at knifepoint. While some members of the gang drove the car, others fled the spot with Lukman’s two-wheeler, which contained the cash hidden in a secret compartment.The gang took Lukman across the state border and eventually dropped him off near Kozhinjampara in Kerala after seizing his mobile phone to prevent him from alerting the authorities immediately.A senior police officer said, “We are investigating the matter. A team went to Kerala to investigate. The gang may have inside information regarding the man’s gold transaction. We are checking CCTV footage from the Walayar checkpost and surrounding toll plazas to identify the suspects.”
