Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Concern over theft of passports from agency

Staff Reporter

City police on the trail of a gang based in Karette

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The city police are learned to have got definite clues regarding the theft of 580 Indian passports from a travel agency in Cantonment police station limits on May 8.

The theft of such a large number of passports has become a security concern for the police. It is suspected that some of the passports could have been used for helping wanted criminals emigrate to foreign countries by replacing the photograph. The police are learned to have recovered only 200 of the lost passports.

Three persons hailing from Karette near Venjaranmoodu are being investigated in connection with the case. Unidentified persons had broken into the travel agency, `Fly Way Travels,' and made away with the passports and some costly electronic equipment. Later, the thieves contacted some of the persons who had lost their passports and demanded money for the return of the documents.

Official sources said that the passport-holders were asked to come to remote locations on the outskirts of the city, including Karette Junction and Vellayani, at night. The passports were handed over to some of them after they paid considerable sums of money. The police said that a criminal gang based in Karette and some anti-social elements in Vellayani were behind the theft. The police had also questioned some employees of the travel agency owner, Salahudeen.

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