Chennai, April 9 (BPNS)

The Coimbatore police arrested two cleaning workers from Assam who allegedly stole money from the account of a dead Covid -19 patient using her two ATM cards.

The arrested are Atul Chgogai and Raj Panging of Lakhipathar in Assam. Police said that the duo had stolen ATM cards of a Covid -19 patient after she passed away at a private hospital in Coimbatore. The duo were arrested on Saturday.

The incident was brought to light after the dead woman’s husband checked her account status.

On checking the accounts in City Union Bank and Union Bank of India, Krishnaswamy found that an amount of Rs 4,82,710 was missing from her Union Bank account at Gopichettiapalayam branch. On checking the City Union Bank account, he found that an amount of Rs 3.85 lakh was withdrawn from the account and subsequently he lodged a complaint with the Avinashi police on Thursday. Police on investigation found that the Debits card of the deceased woman, Yashoda was stolen by two cleaning staff who were hired from a housekeeping agency by the leading hospital at Avinashi Road, Coimbatore.

Based on the complaint of Krishnaswamy and on investigation Peelamedu police registered a case under Sections 379 (punishment for theft) and 420 (cheating and dishonesty). Police said that the woman had written her PIN card no on the cover of the debit card and it was easy for the cleaning workers to withdraw the money. Peelamedu police warned the public not to note down the PIN number in the debit card wrappers or in places where it was easily readable.