Inspector-General of Police K. Padmakumar, on Friday, suspended three policemen on the charge of allowing a lorry laden with illicit spirit to pass unchallenged through Parassala for pecuniary benefit.
The suspended officials were Assistant Sub-Inspector of Police Vinod Kumar; Senior Civil Police Officer M.I. Shaji; and Armed Police Constable Praveen Das.
According to the police, the night patrol party waved down the lorry near Kunnuvila at 4 a.m. on December 4. The lorry evaded the patrol and sped towards an illegal sand-mining area nearby. The patrol party reached the spot and found the vehicle caught in a dead end.
According to investigators, the police party negotiated with the spirit smugglers and allowed the vehicle to get away.
Wanted man held
The Karamana police on Friday arrested Kochu Shaji, 40, wanted in several gangland crimes and extortion cases in the district.
Circle Inspector Sheen Tharayil said the suspect was a close associate of Soju, another gang leader currently in preventive detention under the provisions of the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act.
Killed in accident
A manual labourer was killed and another injured when a truck overturned at Poovachal on Friday.
The police identified the deceased as Sasikumar, 45, of Kattakada. His wife, Latha, and daughters Arya and Chichu survive him. The injured person was identified as Vijaya Das of Chamavila.
