'Aadu Thoma' style robbery: Three accused arrested, one absconding

Kozhikode: Police on Tuesday arrested three youths in connection with a robbery at a petrol pump in Mangapoyil, near Omassery. Two of the accused were identified as Anoop of Nilambur and Sabith Ali of Vellila in Malappuram. The third accused is a minor from Malappuram. As per reports, there were four people involved in the robbery. The fourth accused is at large.

The gang originally intended to rob another petrol pump at Perumpadappu in Mukkam, before targeting the one in Mangapoyil. Police took the accused to both pumps for evidence collection. 

The three men robbed an employee at the Hindustan Petroleum pump shortly after 2 am on Friday. They stole the money from his pocket after sprinkling chilly powder into his eyes and covering his face with a mundu (dhoti).

While one man distracted the employee with conversation, the other two overpowered him. According to reports, a sum of Rs 10,000 was lost. "He lost the amount he had in his pocket," said Kozhikode district petrol dealers association representative Shameem. The petrol pump was deserted as it was late. Though there was another employee at the pump, he did not notice the theft until his colleague intimated him about the matter.

The CCTV footage of the robbery had gone viral after one of the accused used a mundu he was wearing to cover the employee's face, which netizens called the 'Aadu Thoma' style. Aadu Thoma is a character played by Mohanlal in the Malayalam movie 'Spadikam'.