Man snatches mom's chain to settle debts

Chennai: A woman from Ayanavaram was left traumatised after a masked man snatched a five-sovereign gold chain from her, and the thief turned out to be her son.

Police said that on May 8, Elshi Benny, 57, was alone at her second-floor apartment on Bangaru Street in Ayanavaram, where she lived with her husband Benny, 59, who is a hospital employee, and their son Ebin Benny, 26. Around 6.45pm, a man dressed in black, with his face concealed by a monkey cap, rang the doorbell. When Elshi opened the door, the assailant sprayed a can of foam onto her face, snatched her gold chain, and fled.

Elshi, who also works in a private hospital, fell near the doorway and raised an alarm. Neighbours rushed to her aid, and she later lodged a complaint with the Ayanavaram police.

A special investigation team led by deputy commissioner of police Zareena Begum reviewed CCTV footage from nearby areas to identify the suspect.

The footage revealed that the chain snatcher was none other than Elshi's own son, Ebin Benny. According to police, Ebin, who was involved in online trading and gaming, suffered huge financial losses. He borrowed money from local lenders and, under pressure to repay them, decided to stage a robbery targeting his own mother.

Sources said that Ebin, who worked at a private firm in Teynampet, used the disguise and foam spray as his modus operandi. After escaping with the gold, he went into hiding. Family members, stunned by the revelation, tried to negotiate with police officials to prevent Ebin's arrest.

DCP Zareena Begum summoned Ebin for questioning on Thursday. Police said they did not arrest Ebin.