KRISHNAGIRI: Four youths, including two college students, were arrested in Krishnagiri in the early hours of Smorning after they were found with weapons and other materials suspected to have been procured for carrying out robberies, police said.The youths were apprehended during a night patrol at the Krishnagiri new bus stand. “During questioning, the youths told police that they had arrived from Hosur on two-wheelers and were planning to travel to Pochampally. However, their presence at the bus stand, dressed in black and carrying bags, aroused suspicion,” said an officer from the Krishnagiri town police station. A search of their belongings led to the seizure of knives, masks, gloves, syringes, sedatives, laser lights, pesticide, acid and other items.Police identified the youths as K Singaravelan, 23, of Korappanayakkanpatti, M Kalki,23, of Malayandahalli, G Ilamparuthi, 21, and S Vimal, 21. Singaravelan and Kalki are working as rental vehicle drivers, while Ilamparuthi was a second-year BA Economics student at a govt college in Dharmapuri and Vimal is a second-year BBA student at a private college in Morappur.During interrogation, the youths told police that they had watched videos online to learn methods of committing robberies and avoiding detection. “They procured gloves to prevent fingerprints from being recorded, masks to conceal their identities and knives for protection,” the officer said, adding that the group had also obtained syringes and sedatives to use against anyone who attempted to apprehend them. They were found carrying black spray paint, which they allegedly planned to use to obscure CCTV cameras, and laser lights for signalling among themselves.Police found that the youths had planned to disguise themselves as food delivery personnel to move around target areas without attracting suspicion. During questioning, they admitted to surveying locations in the Mookandapalli area of Hosur with the intention of identifying targets for robbery.They were remanded in judicial custody.
