T’puram: Poonthura Police arrested Muneer Khan, 35, for allegedly attacking a police team during an inspection at a shop in Beemapally as part of Operation Toofan on Wednesday. The police seized counterfeit cigarettes and other tobacco products worth around Rs 8 lakh from the shop.The raid was conducted around 2.40pm following information that counterfeit foreign e-cigarettes and other tobacco products were being sold at the shop.According to the complaint, the police team that arrived at the shop for an inspection was surrounded and attacked by the shopowner‘s brother and a group of locals. The team included Poonthura SI S S Sreejesh.The complainants alleged that the attackers assaulted the policemen and damaged their uniforms during the incident. The situation turned tense as the group allegedly obstructed the officers who had arrived to check the suspected sale of counterfeit tobacco products.The shopowner fled the scene, while his brother was taken into custody. The police have registered a case against nine other people allegedly involved in the attack.Further investigation is under way to establish the source of the counterfeit products and identify the roles of those involved in the attack.
