KOCHI: Two students who hired a man to assault rival students of their college turned victims when the recruit abducted them for not paying him money on Thursday night. Police arrested Akshay Shaji, 22, who hails from Thanissery, Thrissur.
Akshay was hired by two second-year engineering students from Irinjalakuda and Mallappally following a clash they had with boys of another batch at their college in Kakkanad recently. The duo used to stay in a hostel outside the college. “The dispute between the students was over a love affair, which led to a clash recently. One of the students was injured in the scuffle. To settle scores, the Irinjalakuda native sought the help of Akshay, who he had befriended via Instagram three months back. Akshay had told the student that he is part of a gang in Kochi and that he is ready to help him in any dire situation,” a police officer said.
However, college tensions took a turn for the better as the rival students settled their dispute following the intervention of their parents. “The students met Akshay in front of a restaurant in Nilampathinjamugal, Kakkanad, on Thursday night. They asked him to cancel the ‘quotation’. But, Akshay continued to insist on a payment of Rs 15,000. But the students refused to cough up the money,” the officer said.
Akshay immediately summoned three of his friends to the location. On their arrival in a car, Akshay grabbed the key of one of the student’s scooter and ordered them to ride pillion. He said that they would be released only after paying the Rs 15,000. Mid-ride, one of the students contacted a roommate and informed him of the abduction and asked him to arrange the money,” the officer said.
The roommate, on his part, contacted Infopark police station and alerted them to the incident. On the direction of officers, the roommate contacted one of the students and asked him to offer Akshay a gold chain in lieu of cash.
Akshay was given a location in Kakkanad where the chain would be passed on to him. “As they were returning to Kakkanad, the police team started following the scooter on an auto rickshaw. Our team intercepted Akshay in front of the CSEZ main gate and rescued the students,” the officer said.
Akshay was soon shifted to Infopark police station. During the interrogation, he told officers that the friends who accompanied him in the car were based in Maradu. Based on the information, a police team arrived at the house and tried to make their way in when one of Akshay’s friends Rizal, 18, of Ponnani injured himself by slitting his wrist.
He was rushed to a government hospital. The two other friends are absconding. “Initial probe revealed that Akshay used to peddle drugs. He is also linked to some gangs, but has no history of criminal activity. We are conducting a detailed probe,” the officer said.
