THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kochi City police has seen its fair share of cases. However, the one that unfolded in Mulavukkad was unlike any other. What began as a case of theft soon encompassed elements of cybercrime, impersonation, eve-teasing, extortion and even sexual abuse. It also offered a glimpse into the murky world of criminals that prey on children, online and offline.
In cracking it, the police team, led by Mulavukkad Station House Officer Manjith Lal P S, earned yet another well-deserved feather in their caps.
The case - at first glace
In May, a couple reached Mulavukkad station to lodge a complaint about missing ornaments. “We checked for all circumstantial evidence for a prospective theft case as alleged by the complainants. Though the ornaments were missing, there were no signs of a break-in,” recounts Manjith.
“The almirah was intact. We also checked the windows and doors of the house to ascertain whether anyone had broken into the house. However, there were no such signs,” the officer adds. With this, an outsider’s involvement was ruled out, and the probe focused on likely ‘insiders’.
The brother living next door was the first under the scanner after the complainants raised doubts. However, the subsequent investigation ruled out his involvement.
“So we focused on the family members and checked their phone records and online activities. Save for their daughter, all the others were clean. Questioning the girl led us to the real culprits,” Manjith says.
The underbelly
What the school-going girl narrated to the police was shocking. She had fallen in love with Vishnu, a youth she got close to after interactions on Instagram. It was later learned that he used to sexually harass the girl.
When Vishnu asked the girl for financial help, she took a gold ring from her house and handed it to him. Later, he asked her for a gold chain. He did not return either. The girl also revealed that a close friend of Vishnu had threatened her against disclosing the sexual harassment incidents to others.
The snare
With the suspects before them, the task before the police was to take down Vishnu. However, they were still uncertain if Vishnu was indeed the youth’s real identity. This suspicion led to the discovery that his original name was Tahir and that he hailed from Sulthan Bathery in Wayanad. The 21-year-old used to work in shops at Penta Menaka.
“Tahir came to learn that we had begun an investigation into the theft case and fled Kochi. However, we managed to trace him to his native place. Our team reached Sultan Bathery and arrested him. From there, we also learned that his marriage was fixed to another girl,” a police officer said.
After Tahir landed in the police net, he confessed to the involvement of his friend, Ashkin Thomas (25), who hailed from Taliparamba in Kannur. It was Ashkin who threatened the girl and pawned the gold.
“From Tahir’s mobile phone, we contacted Ashkin posing as the former and asked him to reach High Court Junction. Our team in plain clothes were at the spot to snatch him. Ashkin reached the place but, growing suspicious about police presence, attempted to flee. But we caught him. The duo wanted money for living a luxurious life far away from their native place,” the officer said.
The plague
The most eyebrow-raising moment for the police was when they checked the duo’s phones. “They had several fake Instagram accounts with which they flirted with girls and lured them into traps,” the officer said.
The two were charged under the Pocso Act. After being released on bail, Ashin tried to influence the victim again, for which he was arrested again. Recently, both were released on bail.