With recurring instances of highway robberies of similar pattern being reported along Salem – Kochi highway (NH544), the Coimbatore District (Rural) Police are revamping the patrol system.

The district police are setting up a checkpoint at Ettimadai as an additional security measure. A patrol vehicle will be operated exclusively between Ettimadai and Walayar inter-State border, besides covering the road from K.G. Chavadi to Velanthavalam, which is another inter-State check-post.

Coimbatore District Superintendent of Police K. Karthikeyan said works of a cargo container check-post at Ettimadai is under way. A sub-inspector will be in-charge of the patrols between Ettimadai – Walayar – Velanthavalam section.

The measure is expected to increase police presence between Ettimadai and Walayar on NH 544, where robbers struck at their targets in most cases. After committing the crime on this stretch, they take Velanthavalam road as an escape route. The new arrangement is aimed at curbing highway robberies in the future.

At present, two highway patrol vehicles are covering the 40-odd km stretch of NH 544 between Neelambur and Walayar. After the launch of the new check-post at Ettimadai, these vehicles will cover areas between Neelambur and Ettimadai.

Police officers said that most of the robberies reported on the highway targetted Kerala-based people, who carried cash or jewellery. The robbers, who had prior knowledge of the movement of the cash or gold, struck at them before the Kerala border by waylaying their vehicles. In several cases, the burglars had specific information about the cash or gold, through persons associated with the victims or from persons with whom they have business transactions, they said.

In the last incident, a goldsmith from Thrissur was robbed of ₹30 lakh by a Kerala-based gang near Ettimadai on July 12, when he was heading to his native in a motorcycle. The police arrested three persons involved in the robbery. In another case, a jeweller and his aide from Thrissur were carjacked and robbed of 1.25 kg of gold at K.G. Chavadi on the highway on June 14.