Cops nab suspected Kuruva gang member who escaped from custody at Kundannoor

In a daring operation, police and fire force team recaptured a man, suspected to be part of the notorious Kuruva gang, who had escaped from custody at Kundannoor in Kochi.
He had escaped from the custody of Alappuzha Police after he was arrested from among a group of people camped underneath the bridge on the National Highway.

Police said Santosh Selvan, a native of Tamil Nadu and an accused in several cases including theft, had jumped out a police jeep belonging to the Mannanchery police. The incident occurred at 6:15 pm on Saturday on the slip road under Kundannoor overbridge.

A police team from Mannanchery arrived in Kochi after receiving information that the accused in the Kuruva gang-model theft cases reported in Alappuzha for the past few days was hiding under the Kundannoor bridge.

Santhosh was found while inspecting a group of Tamil Nadu natives who had camped under the bridge near the backwaters. He was hiding in a makeshift tent, curled up inside a pit dug in the ground and covered with a tarpaulin sheet. A tattoo on Santosh’s chest, visible in CCTV footage, proved to be a crucial piece of evidence during the investigation. Police also found weapons inside the tent. 

The police apprehended the accused, who tried to escape on seeing them, along with his accomplice Manikandan. As they were being handcuffed and loaded into the jeep, women accompanying them turned aggressive and surrounded the vehicle. They verbally abused the police and attempted to attack them.

As there were no female police officers, cops could not restrain the women. During this commotion, Santhosh removed his clothes and fled to the marshy area along the banks of the backwaters.

The Mannanchery police then informed the Kochi City police. A team of around 75 personnel immediately reached the spot and launched a massive search operation.

The Railway police and RPF were informed, and a search was conducted near the railway track. The accused, hiding in the water under the bridge, was caught at night.

Alappuzha DYSP MR Madhu Babu and Ernakulam ACP P Rajkumar led the search. Santhosh was questioned by a team led by the District Police Chief at the Alappuzha Police Training Centre.

Authorities revealed that Santosh, along with 13 others from Kamakshipuram in Tamil Nadu, had come to Kerala for theft. Key information about the gang was obtained after an internal conflict among its members. The accomplice who was with Santosh during the thefts has also been identified, though police have not disclosed his details.

Santosh is currently facing eight cases in Kerala alone and has reportedly admitted to being involved in a total of 30 cases. Critical information was also gathered from police in Theni, Tamil Nadu, aiding the investigation.