On Friday morning (November 7), residents of Old Desam Road in Thottakkattukara, Aluva, woke up to the news of a daring theft, where gold ornaments worth `5.75 lakh had disappeared from a house overnight.
The incident took place in the same locality where Ernakulam Rural Police Chief M Hemalatha resides. Learning about the theft on her way to the office, she advised the house owner, Syed (name changed), to file a formal complaint and directed Aluva DySP T R Rajesh and station house officer G P Manu Raj to initiate investigation.
The probe led to a dramatic three-day chase that ended with the arrest of two accused — Kudikal Shajahan (59) of Taliparamba, Kannur, and Kumbissery Asad (39) of Kuttamassery, Aluva — from within Kochi city limits.
“Though it appeared to be a routine theft case, we began our investigation even before receiving the formal complaint,” says a top source with Ernakulam rural police.
“A probe was carried out by examining CCTV footage from nearby areas, verifying individuals on the rowdy history sheeter (RHS) list, and analysing call detail records (CDR). These, combined with rigorous operation, led to the arrest of the notorious burglar Shajahan and his accomplice Asad,” the officer adds.
Shajahan and Asad first met while serving time at the Muttom jail in Idukki. Shajahan was imprisoned for multiple thefts, and Asad was under charges related to the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The duo maintained contact after their release, communicating over phones and meeting frequently to plan a series of burglaries.
K Nandakumar, sub-inspector at Aluva police station and a member of the probe team, says Shajahan had attempted several house break-ins across various regions, including Thrissur, Kottayam, Ettumanoor, and Koothattukulam. “In Koothattukulam alone, he made nearly 10 to 14 burglary attempts, most of which were unsuccessful,” he explains.
In the Thottakkattukara incident, the accused gained entry by reaching through a window to unlock the front door before stealing the gold ornaments.
Commenting on the modus operandi, Nandakumar says, “After each burglary, Shajahan would usually flee to his hometown in Kannur — either with the stolen items or with the money earned from selling them — before planning his next crime. Here, fearing he might be caught if he personally attempted to sell the stolen jewellery, he handed over the task to Asad.” Asad sold the stolen ornaments for `5.75 lakh at a jewellery outlet near Aluva Bank Junction, and the duo split the proceeds equally.
“Based on the CCTV footage, we initially identified Asad,” says Nandakumar. Soon, the team focused on the RHS and the prison release lists, which included Asad.
“This led us to Shajahan. However, we couldn’t locate him as he frequently switched off his phone and changed locations. Later, his CDR location was tracked near the KSRTC stand in Ernakulam South. Plain-cloth officers sorrounded the rea, along with cops in muftis, all to track him amid a busy crowd. They apprehended the accused waiting for the bus after the pursuit,” explains Nandakumar.
Also, Shajahan was preparing for another burglary just before getting caught, the officer adds.
Following their arrest, the investigation team recovered half of Asad’s share and seized the stolen gold from the jewellery store, informs the officer.