The recovered jewellery and cars purchased from the sale of jewellery by the accused. Special Arrangement | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT Police personnel with the accused involved in a series of burglaries in Vriddhachalam in Cuddalore district on Thursday. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT The Cuddalore district police on Wednesday arrested two men allegedly involved in a series of burglaries across Tamil Nadu and recovered 38 sovereigns of gold jewellery from their possession.The accused were identified as Manickaraj, 41, of Kolathur, Chennai, and Baranidarane, 30, of Perambalur district.
The search is under way for another suspect in connection with the case.According to police, the accused broke into the house of Saraswathi, 55, a government school teacher residing at Gandhi Nagar in Vriddhachalam. She had gone to Shirdi on August 26 and found the house burgled on her return.The duo broke open the front gate, turned away the CCTV camera installed at the entrance and gained access into the house.
They stole 30 sovereigns of gold jewellery, five kg of silver articles and drove away in the car parked in the house.Following a complaint, a special police team was constituted by Superintendent of Police Vivekananda Shukla.On October 21, the police team was on patrol when they intercepted a car on the Vriddhachalam–Karuveppilankurichi Road. After preliminary enquiry, the police found that the duo was linked to the burglary reported in Vriddhachalam.Police said Manickaraj and Baranidarane had become acquainted while they were lodged in Puzhal prison.
Manickaraj was released on bail from Coimbatore prison on August 10, and Baranidarane was released from Salem prison on August 8.According to police, more than 50 cases were pending against Manickaraj and 30 against Baranidarane in various police stations across Tamil Nadu. Police suspect their involvement in burglaries reported over the past two months in Perambalur, Chennai, Red Hills, Tiruchi, Dharapuram and Vadalur.The police recovered 18 sovereigns of gold jewellery linked to the burglary reported at Vriddhachalam and another 20 sovereigns linked to a theft in Vadalur.They also seized ₹1.04 lakh from the sale of silver articles stolen from the teacher’s house, the stolen car, two other cars allegedly purchased with the proceeds from the sale of stolen jewellery, a motorcycle suspected to have been used in the offences and three mobile phones from their possession.
Further investigations are on. Published - October 22, 2026 08:14 pm IST