KOCHI: In a bid to curb the menace of goons and anti-social elements in Ernakulam Rural police limits, the police will initiate action against more history-sheeters under the provisions of Kerala Anti-Social Activities Prevention (KAAPA) Act.
So far, 10 criminals have been arrested and sent to jail after invoking KAAPA in the rural police district since 2019. As many as 23 people have been deported from the rural police limits. Besides, 1,024 persons have been booked under the Act so far, according to the police.
The Ernakulam Rural police launched a manhunt named 'Operation Dark Hunt' last year after intelligence inputs from the police field agents revealed that many criminals were into illegal activities in the district that included extortion and drug peddling.
The quotation gangs had reared their ugly head and the rural areas started witnessing open fights between warring groups. In November 2019, a goonda gang called 'Athani Boys' sent shivers down the spine of the people of Nedumbassery when they finished off a member of a rival gang.
"Stringent action has been initiated against those arrested as part of the 'Operation Dark Hunt'. The operation was launched to end the goonda menace. As part of the operations, those who have a criminal record and those involved in more than one criminal case have been put under the police surveillance. The menace of goons has been controlled to an extend with the stringent measures introduced by the police," said Ernakulam Rural SP K Karthik.
The latest action under KAAPA Act has been initiated against notorious gang leader Perumbavoor Anas, aka Anseer, 35, who is currently remanded in judicial custody at Kakkanad Sub-Jail. Anas was arrested again under KAAPA Act.
He has been in the jail since May 20 after being remanded in the case related to the attempt to murder a person in a lodge room at Paravoor Kavala, Aluva, and the suicide of a youth, Harish Mohammed, at North Paravoor.
According to the police, Anas is involved in a slew of criminal cases including sensational Pookadassery Rahim murder attempt case, Perumbavoor Unnikuttan murder, gold smuggling and several extortion cases. He had served a two-year imprisonment in Kashmir recruitment case.
Police said he has been booked in cases by Karnataka police too. Anas was arrested under KAAPA Act in 2019 also. Police officers said stringent action will be initiated against the gang members of Anas in the coming days.