KOCHI: Two more history-sheeters have been arrested as part of Operation Steel Bird, Ernakulam Rural police’s special drive against habitual offenders and organised criminal activities.
The accused are Ragesh, 42, and Jugal, 21. They were arrested by the Angamaly police in a coordinated operation.
Police said Ragesh is an accused in around 60 criminal cases. He was released from a prison in Karnataka only at the end of June after being jailed in connection with a highway robbery case. Jugal is an accused in 11 cases and had earlier been externed from the district under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA).
According to the police, the duo were part of a gang that had allegedly conspired to carry out highway robberies in the Angamaly region. Earlier, the police had arrested Shyam Kumar, 42, Arun Dev, 23, Nidhin, 32, Joy, 53, and Sheman Mathew, 33, in connection with the same case.
The investigation began early on Tuesday when police intercepted a vehicle during a routine inspection at Puthamkutty. A knife was recovered from the vehicle carrying Shyam Kumar, Arun Dev and Nidhin, following which they were subjected to detailed questioning.
Based on the information gathered during interrogation, the police raided a house at Puthamkutty where the remaining members of the gang were allegedly assembled. Investigators said the group had been planning to rob vehicles transporting cash along the highway.
