THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The police have raided 1,664 places and arrested 736 people having criminal antecedents in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Pathanamthitta districts since December 14. The raids and arrests were carried out after a slew of notorious incidents, including the Pothencode Sudheesh murder case, were reported from Thiruvananthapuram police rangewhich comprises Thiruvananthapuram rural, Kollam rural, Kollam city and Pathanamthitta police districts.
Raids and police vigilance were enhanced in Thiruvananthapuram city, which comes under City Police Commissioner Balram Kumar Upadhyay, since Sunday after the political killings in Alappuzha. Upadhyay said 321 location checks were made and 405 people having criminal history were questioned in the last seven days in Thiruvananthapuram city. The police also took 65 people under preventive custody, while one person was jailed under the Kerala Anti-social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA).
“The city police have been maintaining utmost vigil to thwart any efforts to create a law and order crisis in its jurisdiction. There was only one violent clash recently reported in the city between RSS and PFI workers and that was in Poojappura. The culprits in that case have been arrested and there is no law and order threat in the city limits,” he said.
In areas falling under Thiruvananthapuram range, 1343 location checks were made, while 671 people were arrested. Of those arrested, 434 were people against whom warrants were pending, while 237 were those who have been absconding after allegedly committing crimes.
Thiruvananthapuram Range DIG Sanjay Kumar Gurudin said the stations under his jurisdiction have been asked to verify the crime cases of the last five years and prepare an updated list of history sheeters.
No arrest in Pothencode attack
The Pothencode are yet to arrest the three-member gang that attacked a man and his daughter at Pothencode junction on Wednesday night. Venjaramoodu native Sha and his daughter Naurin were attacked while returning from a hospital. The police said they have identified the three suspects, but the trio has gone into hiding. It was under Pothencode police station limits that a 32-year-old man was brutally hacked to death by an 11-member gang on December 11.
Act tough, min tells cops
Food and Civil Supplies Minister G R Anil, who represents the assembly constituency, said the attack on the father and daughter was unfortunate. “Such crimes should be viewed more seriously by police. They should ensure it is not repeated,” he said.
Social media posts: 51 cases registered
The police have registered 51 cases since Sunday for posting and circulating communally polarising content on social media. In Ernakulam rural district, 14 cases were registered, while 12 cases were registered in Malappuram.