Thrissur, August 7
Police on Friday took Akhil, the brother of fugitive history-sheeter Arjun Ayanki, into custody as multiple teams intensified searches across Thrissur city to trace Ayanki, who is wanted in a case involving alleged threats against a police officer and his family.
Teams led by the Thrissur City Assistant Commissioner of Police searched several locations after investigators traced Ayanki’s mobile phone location to the Naikkanal area. Checks were stepped up around Naikkanal Junction and Thekkinkadu Maidan, but Ayanki managed to evade the police.
Investigators said Ayanki, who was travelling from Palakkad towards Thrissur, changed vehicles for a second time and slipped out of surveillance after police pursued him across the city for nearly an hour. Police have since located a car suspected to have been used by him.
Akhil was taken into custody in Thrissur and is being questioned. An alert has also been issued to police stations across the district amid information that Ayanki could still be hiding in the city.
Even as the search continued, Ayanki surfaced on social media, posting an Instagram story seeking financial assistance for his legal battle. The post carried a QR code for contributions and claimed that his opponents had falsely portrayed him as a gold smuggler and millionaire.
The dispute dates back to May 3, when police arrested Ayanki and five associates during a pre-dawn raid at a resort near Punnekkad in Kothamangalam under Operation Steel Bird. He spent 21 days in judicial custody before securing conditional bail.
After his release, Ayanki allegedly posted threatening messages targeting the Kothamangalam SHO and his family, prompting another case.
On August 3, the Kerala High Court refused to grant Ayanki pre-arrest bail in the case. The Kannur native has remained out of police custody since then, with police continuing efforts to apprehend him.
