23 sov'gns jewellery, Rs 15 l stolen from estate owner's house

: About 23 sovereigns of gold jewellery and Rs 15 lakh in cash were stolen from the house of an estate owner at the hill station of Yercaud by a four member armed gang, police said today.
The gang gained entry through the backdoor of the house at Vellakadai last night, tied up the 22-year-old maidservant, forcibly took her to the kitchen and sprayed chilly powder around her body, they said.
The knife wielding gang then entered the septugenerian estate owner's room and forced him to open the almirah containing cash and jewellery and later decamped with the booty.
The estate owner and the servant maid later managed to free themselves and informed police.

The man's wife who had gone to Coimbatore was forced to stay back in Salem on her return last night due to rain in the hilly areas.