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Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram
G. Anand
ORGANISED CRIMINAL gangs thriving on hooch distillation, spirit smuggling, illegal sand-mining, extortion and goondaism have been on the rise in the rural district. These groups are known to operate in tandem with city-based gangs, providing safe houses when on the run from the police and sharing the spoils of various illegal activities. According to police figures for 2003, there are 790 people listed as rowdies in the rural district. Police say these are `habitual offenders' involved in more than one case of murder, attempt to murder, rioting, arson, violation of the arms act, causing grievous hurt and assault. Many of them head gangs numbering more than 10 to 15 youth. Lure of easy money from illegal activities such as protection rackets, extortion and goondaism are attracting unemployed youths to these groups. Most of the youth end up as accused in criminal cases or get classified as `rowdies' in police records. The figures show that there are 33 dossier criminals and 98 known depredators in the rural district. These are persons who figure as accused in `property offences', mostly theft, burglary, robbery and house-breaks. Police say the list is not `current' owing to the entry of several `new faces and leaders'. According to sources, illegal sand-mining has emerged as a major source of income for the gangs, particularly in Neyyatinkara taluk. `Those who conduct illegal sand-mining pay protection money to the gangs who in turn intimidate those who dare to make a complaint', says one. It is also no secret that corrupt elements in the Police, Excise and Revenue departments stand to gain from illegal activities such as unauthorised sand-mining, spirit smuggling and hooch distillation. Sources say that the corrupt nexus is difficult to break or even detect. Payments are made discreetly and often on a monthly basis to those officials on the take. The ill-gotten money is given on interest to private money-lenders who in turn employ gangs for recovering loans from defaulters. There have also been instances where people who hoard spirit have furnished houses and procured real estate for some corrupt officials. At present, a police department drive is on to crack down on corruption at the cutting edge level of law enforcement. Rivalry between organised gangs is also posing a serious threat to public peace in the rural district. The most recent incident was the brutal murder of two youth allegedly by fellow gang members near Kalpana colony in Kazhakottam police station limits. In a similar incident in April, two men were killed in Anchuthengu police station limits when an armed gang drove a van into a rival group celebrating Easter. Some of the other major incidents of gang violence in the rural district include the attacks on an Austrian tourist at Varkala in December 2002 and U.S. missionary, Joseph Cooper, near Kilimanoor in March 2003. There have also been instances of dacoity. In February, an eight-member gang had entered the house of Parthumuthu Beevi (62) in Vellarada at night and decamped with 12 sovereigns of gold and Rs. 10,000 after threatening her at sword point. In another incident in May, a 63-year-old man was waylaid by an armed gang and relieved of Rs. 63,000 he was carrying on his person. Most of the rural police stations are manned by policemen promoted from the ranks as Sub Inspectors. The lack of direct recruit SIs have adversely affected policing in the rural area, a senior officials says. The new SP (Rural), Balaram Upadhyaya, says that he is attempting to put in place a `Criminal Intelligence System' which would allow the constabulary to keep an active tab on organised gangs, associates, safe-houses and funders. He says the main gangs under police scrutiny are the ones headed by `Malayankeezhu' Noble, `Poocha' Shaji, `Para' Binu, `Varkala' Ahad, `Attingal' Ayyappan, the `Aylam mafia', `Kalpana' Suresh, `Auto' Jayan, `Stereo' Jayan, Venkatesh Radhakrishnan alias Chandikumar, `Gold' Sunil, `Silver' Unni, Bhuvanachandran alias `Purundaran', `Aryanadu' Asokan, `Mambazhakara' Anil, `Pallan' Santosh and `Mudiyan' Sasi among others. The SP (Rural) says that he would not allow `islands or pockets' in the rural district where the writ of those outside the law runs unchallenged.
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