T’puram: Several accused, including those wanted in Pocso and other criminal cases, were arrested during a special operation conducted by the Thiruvananthapuram rural police on Monday as part of efforts to strengthen law and order in the district.In a statement, Rural Police said the arrests were made during inspections and searches led by various police stations in the district. Police said several accused who had been absconding in cases including Pocso offences, attempted murder, robbery and assault were taken into custody.Satheesh Kumar, 48, was arrested in a Pocso case registered at Marayamuttom police station for allegedly attempting to sexually assault a minor girl.In another case registered at Aruvikkara police station, Ranjith, 40, was arrested for allegedly attacking his wife with a knife and attempting to set her on fire following a family dispute.In a theft case at a crusher unit in Nellikkunnu, Kallambalam police arrested three people — Habib, 20, Mohammed Salman, 21, and Alfarish, 18. Police said two motors worth around Rs 2.5 lakh had been stolen from the unit.Balaramapuram police arrested Shah Rukh Khan, 27, and Rashid Khan, 32, in connection with the theft of foreign liquor worth Rs 23,880 from a Bevco outlet at Balaramapuram.In a separate assault case, Irfan, 21, was arrested by Kadinamkulam police for allegedly trespassing into a house and brutally assaulting a woman and her husband.Kallambalam police arrested Josh, 40, John Paul, 42, and Rijin, 40, in connection with a case involving the interception and assault of a person at Moongode church premises and threatening him with death.All the arrested accused were produced before various courts in the district and remanded in judicial custody.Rural district police chief Prashanthan Kani said strict action would continue against drug mafias and anti-social elements in the district in the coming days.
