COIMBATORE: A 19-year-old college student was assaulted, robbed and held hostage for a day by a duo for a ransom of Rs 2 lakh near Kuniyamuthur in Coimbatore on Monday. The suspects escaped when police traced their hideout. They sprayed pepper spray at officers before fleeing.The victim, R Keshavan, is a native of Virudhunagar district and a third-year B Com student at a private college near Kuniyamuthur. He has been staying with friends in a rented room in Idayarpalayam for the past six months.Police said on June 14, Keshavan went to a room in Chinna Kani Konar Street in EB Colony near Kuniyamuthur after being invited by his friend, Dharanish. Dharanish’s friends, Akash, 24, and Muthupandi, 23, of Sivaganga, were present there. Investigators said the two youths abused Keshavan and attacked him with an iron rod and a knife, then robbed him of a two-sovereign gold chain.After the assault, the suspects confined Keshavan in a nearby room, threatened him at knifepoint and demanded Rs 2 lakh for his release. He was held in captivity for a day.Following a tip-off on Monday, a team from the Kuniyamuthur police station reached the spot to rescue him. As officers closed in, the suspects allegedly used pepper spray to evade capture and fled. Police said they later stopped a motorist, threatened him with a knife, stole his motorcycle and escaped.Based on Keshavan’s complaint, police registered a case and launched a manhunt. An officer said Akash was facing more than 25 robbery cases statewide and that the group targets students living alone. A police team was sent to Sivaganga to arrest the suspects.
