14 arrests made in Kochi as police up ante before Onam

The city police have made a slew of arrests as it continues to maintain strict vigil in connection with Onam.

Four persons hailing from Orissa were arrested on charge of theft of steel and pipe products worth about Rs.3 lakh from a shop at T.D. Road where they were employed.

The items were recovered from the lodge where they were staying and from various shops in the city where they had sold it.

Santhosh, 28, a resident of Kuravilangad in Kottayam district, was arrested on charge of attempted pick pocketing from the KSRTC stand. Three mobile SIM cards and Rs. 3,500 were recovered from him. Jithu, 28, a resident of Vyttila, and Binish, 28, of Perambra, were arrested from near the Ambedkar stadium for trying to extract cash by posing as members of the shadow police.

Maradu police arrested four persons on charge of playing cards for cash from a building near the Thykoodam bridge.

Vijayan, 55, of Vennala was arrested for lending money at exorbitant interest from near the Vennala LP School. Police seized Rs. 2,500 and documents for cash transactions worth Rs. 4 lakh from the accused. In a similar incident, Stephen, 49, of Kunnamkulam in Thrissur was arrested for indulging in illegal money transaction in Ernakulam jurisdiction.

Shamsudheen, 62, of Cheranalloor, was arrested with 723 packets of prohibited gutka from Cheranalloor.