Vellanad (Thiruvananthapuram): Organised crime has become the new normal in Kerala of late. Goonda attacks have become very common in the state capital and the miscreants have become so audacious that even the brother of the Special Private Secretary (PS) of the Chief Minister is not safe. Vellanad-resident Sreekumaran Nair (61) had a narrow escape after he was thrashed by some goons and dumped into a well on Sunday.

Those who attacked Sreekumaran Nair had earlier allegedly abducted a youth at Kaniyapuram area and also flung some firecrackers at the police officers who had arrived at their house to investigate. They have been identified as R Shefeeq (28) of Pallippuram and Abin, alias Appoos, (23) of Mudapuram.

Nair is the younger brother of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s Special PS R Rajasekharan Nair.

What had happened?
Nair had reached the site of his new house under construction in Vellanad on Sunday morning for curing the recently concreted roof.

There, he saw Abin inside the half-built structure and questioned him. Abin reacted by attacking Nair with a piece of rock and he received a blow on his head. Subsequently, Shefeeq, who was also present in the under-construction house, joined Abin in assaulting Nair.

Abin and Shefeeq then pushed Nair into a well on the premises. However, along with Nair, Abin also fell into the water. Both men cried out for help, hearing which neighbours and other local people rushed to the spot.

Nair and Abin were rescued from the well by the locals and Abin and Shefeeq were handed over to the police, who soon arrived there.

“Shefeeq and Abin are accused in the case related to the abduction of Nikhil of Kaniyapuram. Now, they have also been charged with sections related to attempt to murder for assaulting Sreekumaran Nair,” said a police officer who took them into custody.

Yet another case
When Shefeeq was taken to a hospital at Vellanad by the police for medical examination, he again became violent and attacked civil police officers Mahesh and Binu. One more case has been registered against Shefeeq over this incident, said the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Kattakkada.

Was there a third goon?

Meanwhile, it is suspected that apart from Abin and Shefeeq, a third goon was present inside Sreekumaran Nair’s half-built house and had joined them in the assault. He is suspected to be Hari, a resident of Menamkulam. However, the police ruled this out.