Vasupalli Nallayya (47), a resident of Relliveedhi in the Old Town area, reportedly died of cardiac arrest when police tried to arrest him in a snatching case on Tuesday evening.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) T. Ravi Kumar Murthy said that I. Gopi (48), Channa Govind (41), and Nallayya, all residents of Relliveedhi, were members of a gang that snatched gold rings and watches.

On Tuesday morning, the members approached one P. Bhaskar Rao (77), a former employee of the Food Corporation on India, at a bank and introduced themselves as his old friends. Gopi, the kingpin, shook hands with the victim and made good with the gold ring.

After realising that he had lost his ring, Bhaskar noted down the number of vehicle in which the three had come and lodged a complaint with the Fourth Town Police.

The police found the vehicle near a bar in Seethammapeta. When the police approached the trio, Nallayya, who was by then drunk, tried to run away and fell after covering a short distance and died, Mr. Ravi Kumar Murthy said.

The DCP said that the gang had earlier committed a similar crime on March 11 and a few in 2014.

“They usually target aged persons and take away their gold rings or watches,” he said

Govind and Gopi have been taken into custody.