In the backdrop of last week’s murder of a youth, Saji, allegedly by members of the gang led by Soju alias Ammaykkorumakan Soju, the city police have initiated rigorous action against criminal gangs.
The raid carried out on Saturday, in which 155 persons were arrested, was one among the stern actions of the initiative. The arrested were wanted in more than two cases. As the next step, the goondas who are in the secondary list will be kept under close surveillance by the police.
“We have been closely watching the activities of the criminals in the city for the past six months. There were incidents of gang fights during Attukal Pongala and Onam. As the rivalry between the gangs of Ammaykkorumakan Soju and Choozhattukotta Ambili flared up, both the groups were under watch. That a murder took place as part of gang rivalry amidst so much surveillance was unfortunate,” said City Police Commissioner T J Jose.
“There are 150 persons in the anti-social list of the police and 270 in the goonda list,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Putta Vimaladitya. Some of the criminals who were arrested on Saturday are those who had been included in the goonda list.
Among the 270 goondas in the KAPPA (Kerala Anti-social Activities (Prevention) Act) list, detention order was issued against 190. ‘’Those who have more than two cases pending against them are included in the KAPPA list. We have classified the criminals as those having three cases in their name and those who have more than three cases pending against them,” said Jose. He also said that the police would be more vigilant about those who were booked at least once.
Meanwhile, those who were arrested by the city police on Saturday included fugitives like Rajesh, Panchara Biju, Prasannakumar, Jacky Ani, Praavu Sathi and Thakkali Shaji, who had been eluding the police net for many months.
The cops are also planning to conduct frequent raids to avoid any lapse in suppressing the activities of the goonda gangs.