Munnar: In a joint operation involving officers of the Kerala and Tamil Nadu police, two persons who had allegedly robbed Rs 1.5 crore from a Tamil Nadu-based jeweller have been arrested from Munnar after a car chase.

The arrested persons are Edwin Thomas (26) and Febin Saju (26), both belonging to Chalakudy in Thrissur district. Edwin and Febin are history-sheeters with the former already accused in two other cases and the latter in eight cases, said the police.

They were arrested by teams led by N Raju, Deputy Superintendent of Police of Nanguneri at Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu and Rajan K Aramana, Station House Officer of Munnar police station in Kerala. Drivers of two other vehicles were injured when the car of the accused hit them.

Two suitcases loaded with cash were recovered from the accused’s car.

The jeweller, Susanth, was robbed at Nellai in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu on the morning of May 30. He was travelling with two employees in a vehicle to Neyyattinkara in Kerala to purchase gold.

On the way, a gang of eight masked persons who arrived in two cars blocked the jeweller’s vehicle and attacked Susanth and his employees with iron rods. The gang took away Rs 1.5 crore carried by the jeweller after leaving him and his staff injured.

The Tamil Nadu police soon launched an investigation and learnt that two gang members had escaped to Kerala. The gang member’s route was traced to Munnar and the Tamil Nadu police gave a chase. SHO of the Kerala Police in the hill station was also contacted by the TN police.

Subsequently, the Munnar SHO blocked the road from Tamil Nadu with his vehicle. A vehicle of the Kerala Forest Department which was passing that way also was used as a road barrier.

The accused, on realizing that the road was blocked, reversed their vehicle abruptly and it hit a car and an autorickshaw behind. Meanwhile, the vehicle of the Tamil Nadu police also arrived at the spot. The accused made an attempt to flee but lost control of their vehicle and it came to a stop after ramming the compound wall of the Munnar police station.

One among the accused tried to escape into the nearby forest, but he was nabbed by the Kerala Forest Department officers. Both the accused were arrested and taken to Tamil Nadu.

The other police officers who took part in the operation included Sub Inspectors K D Manian and P S Sudheer. K E Sibi, a Range Officer of the Kerala Forest Department, also joined them.