THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The City police on Friday arrested nine youths in connection with the attack on a police team during a temple festival at Thiruvallam here. Anoop, 23 of Pachalloor; Vishnu alias ‘Cup’ Vishnu, 24 of Pachalloor; Afzal, 23 of Puthenpally; Sajilala alias Shambhu, 29 of Pachalloor; Rajesh Kumar alias Rawthar, 28 of Pachalloor ; Sivaprasad, 23 of Vizhinjam; Vinod alias ‘Pavada’ Vinod, 31 of Pachalloor; Thanseer, 18 of Pachalloor and Vineesh, 19 of Chudukad. were nabbed by a Special Shadow team.
Officers said the arrested are habitual offenders with cases against them at various police stations in the district. Anoop was nabbed from the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport while he trying to flee abroad. The accused were remanded in 14-day judicial custody by the magistrate court.
According to the police, the incident took place on Wednesday night when the ‘Kuthiyottam’ ritual was being held as part of the annual ‘Kumbhabharani’ festival. When the procession staged as part of the ritual reached Pachalloor, the gang showed obscene gestures to the women devotees gathered there. Though the police personnel deployed there tried to rein them in, the gang was in no mood to listen and a scuffle ensued. Soon, more members of the gang reached there and they started attacking the police personnel. As the police were outnumbered they could not retaliate. The Thiruvallam Sub-Inspector was also injured in the attack.