Suspected goonda gang leader ‘Bhai’ Naseer and a person named Praveen, allegedly an associate of Naseer, were taken into custody from Mysore by a special investigation team of the city police on Sunday morning. Naseer was detained under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA), also known as the Goonda Act.
“A warrant under KAAPA was issued against Naseer last month and he went underground after that. The police had also sought to attach all his property. We traced him to Mysore and held him there,” said a police officer.
Under the Goonda Act, a warrant may be issued against a person identified as a ‘known rowdy,’ if their guilt is suspected by the police in at least three separate cases. Police officials said Naseer had at least eight active cases pending against him in various police stations in the district. Under the law, Naseer can be detained for up to six months without trial.
Sources said a few other persons were also held along with Naseer and Praveen at Mysore. Police are investigating whether they were involved in crimes here.
The arrest comes close on the heels of renewed gang activities in the city. Earlier this month, a scuffle had broken out on court premises between men suspected to be part of rival gangs led by ‘Bhai’ Naseer and Maradu Aneesh. The clash had occurred after Praveen had given a statement in court in a case in which a person named Sinoj allegedly attempted to murder Naseer. Last week, suspected gang members threw low-intensity country bombs at a residential complex at Kaloor.
Police officials said Naseer and his accomplices would be brought to the city soon and their arrest would be processed here.
