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Intra-gang attack: two suspects arrested

Staff Reporter

Thiruvananthapuram: The police have arrested two persons in connection with the intra-gang fight in which a man was seriously injured and a house damaged at Barton Hill colony last week.

The suspects are “Garbhini” Shyju and Alfons Cruz. Circle Inspector, Museum, N.A. Baiju, said the youngsters were members of “Goondukadu” Shabu’s gang.

The fight broke out on Friday night when Anil, alias Ani Kuttan, entered Shabu’s home with a cooking gas cylinder and threatened to set the house on fire. At the time, Shabu’s wife and her mother were there. Mr. Baiju said Shabu cut Anil’s right hand in self-defence. He and the suspects dropped Anil at the casualty of the Government Medical College Hospital.

Later, persons suspected to be Shabu’s gang members attacked the house of Kunjumon, Anil’s brother who lives in the same colony. The police have named one Vipin as prime suspect in the case. The police said the residents of Barton Hill colony were apprehending more gang-related violence. The police said Anil had been Shabu’s close associate for a long time. He used to take care of Shabu’s financial interests when the alleged gang leader was detained in prison this year under the provisions of the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act.

Differences

Shabu and Anil were involved in salvaging wood from old houses marked for demolition. They had recently fought over the sharing of profits. The police said Anil felt that Shabu did not help him when he was jailed in an illicit-liquor-related case.

Anil is currently facing trial in a murder case. The police had charge-sheeted him, along with “Kochu” Dilip, an associate of wanted man “Attingal” Ayyappan, in the gangland killing of “Kunnukuzhy” Franchi in 1998.

A senior official said the police will seek Shabu’s detention, for the second time this year, under the provisions of the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act. He said a large section of residents in Barton Hill colony were living in constant fear of “a few thugs.” Two ruling front politicians were negotiating Shabu’s surrender with the police.

The police had accused Shabu’s brother, “Goondukadu” Shaji, who was murdered in the mid-Nineties of throwing crude bombs at the AKG Centre (State headquarters of the Communist Party of India-Marxist), along with some Congress men. Shabu is currently a member of the Barton Hill unit of the party’s youth wing and president of the local resident’s association.

Shabu was arrested last year on the charge of carrying a machete to a public meeting attended by Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan.

In February 2007, the Fort police booked Shabu on the charge of possessing a fake passport. The police suspended Mohanan, an assistant sub-inspector attached to the Anchal police station in Kollam district, on the charge of issuing a deceitful passport verification report to help Shabu fraudulently procure a passport. He travelled to Dubai in 2005 using the fake passport.

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