The Nedumbassery police have widened search for two more suspects as part of the probe into the alleged theft of gold from a Guruvayur native who had smuggled it from Dubai.
The police had on Wednesday arrested a seven-member gang in connection with the theft. The arrested are Shaheed, 24, Swaralal, 36, Anees, 34, Suji, 33, Rajil Raj, 30, Sreekanth, 32, and Sawaad, 23, all natives of Kannur. They had allegedly abducted one Niyas on his arrival at the Kochi airport and abandoned him in Aluva town after stealing the gold that he had reportedly smuggled from Dubai.
“The arrested were part of a Kannur-based racket involved in similar operations and connected to Akash Thillankeri, the main accused in the murder of Youth Congress activist Shuhaib. In fact, one of the arrested, Rajil Raj, was also an accused in the murder case,” said police sources.
The police suspect that the gang had stolen nearly 1 kg of gold. “The remaining two suspects who are on the run are supposed to have the stolen gold. They will be nabbed shortly,” said police sources.
The gang is suspected to have committed similar offences across the State in the past. “They are widely networked, including in West Asia, and receive full information about the carriers they target well in advance,” said police sources.
