KOCHI: As part of curbing anti-social and goonda activities, the police have opened history sheets against 41 persons in the district. All newly listed history sheeters are in Ernakulam Rural police limit. The goonda list maintained by the Kerala Police was updated on January 31. Interestingly, compared with police districts of Pathanamthitta and Thiruvananthapuram rural, the number of persons added to the goonda list is low in Kochi city and Ernakulam rural.
When 557 persons were added to the list across Kerala, none from Kochi city police limit figured in that, but 41 persons from Ernakulam rural made it to the list. According to officers, 45 persons are already on the goonda list of Kochi City police and over 100 on that of Ernakulam Rural police.
In Ernakulam rural, six persons were put under preventive detention by invoking Section 3 of the Kerala Anti-Social Activities Prevention Act (KAAPA) in December 2021 and January 2022. Similarly, two persons were banned from entering the district under Section 15 in Ernakulam rural during the same period. In Kochi city, no action was taken against any person under KAAPA in the last two months.
“We regularly update the goonda list. We closely monitor the persons who are on the list and try to prevent them from indulging in criminal activities. We have also invoked KAAPA against tens of persons. We take measures to cancel their bail granted by the court if a person indulges in other criminal cases. Goonda activities have come down in the district due to the various measures taken by the force,” said Ernakulam Rural SP K Karthick.
The Ernakulam rural police have been carrying out Operation Dark Hunt to control anti-social activities since 2019. Till now, 33 persons have been slapped with KAAPA and put under preventive detention. Besides, legal action has been taken against 74 other persons.
“Operation Dark Hunt has been successful. Those involved in dreadful acts affecting public peace and tranquillity were arrested under relevant sections of the IPC, Arms Act, NDPS Act and Explosive Substances Act,” Karthick said.
From December 2021 to January 31 this year, 90 persons who had absconded after being involved in criminal cases could be nabbed in Ernakulam rural. The police also ensured the cancellation of bail granted to seven persons. No such actions were taken against any person in Kochi City during the period.
“That doesn’t mean that there is no action taken against anti-social activities in Kochi city. We have a goonda list and we regularly invoke KAAPA against persons involved in multiple cases. Presently, goonda activities are well controlled in Kochi. Most of the persons on the goonda list know that they are being monitored by us,” Kuriakose V U, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Kochi City.
Action taken till Jan 31
41 History sheets opened
6 In preventive detention under KAAPA
2 Banned from entering district
90 Absconding persons arrested
7 Bail cancelled
KAAPA invoked against man involved in thefts
Kochi: The police have invoked Kerala Anti-Social Activities Prevention Act (KAAPA) against a person who have been involved in multiple theft cases. Anil Mathai, 41, of Rayamanagalam has been under preventive detention for a year after Ernakulam Rural police chief K Karthick recommended action under KAAPA against him as he was involved in theft cases registered at Perumbavoor, Angamaly, Karikunnu and Thankamani police stations. He was convicted in four similar cases in the past. The steps were initiated as part of Operation Dark Hunt to curb anti-social activities in the district.