Thiruvananthapuram : In a dramatic incident reminiscent of a movie plot, an unidentified man traveling in an autorickshaw was abducted by a five-member gang in two cars near Sreekanteshwaram at midnight on Tuesday. The passenger had hired the autorickshaw from near the international terminal of the airport, and was heading to Thampanoor. Police suspect the involvement of a gold smuggling gang and have intensified their investigation to unravel the mystery.
The auto was intercepted on the road, and the assailants brutally attacked the passenger before forcibly taking him into one of their cars. The auto driver, shocked by the horrifying scene, was also assaulted when he attempted to intervene. The driver, Vysakh S Sundaran, 29, from Anayara, promptly reported the incident at Vanchiyoor police station, and the police initiated a probe after registering a case.
CCTV footage revealed the involvement of two cars and five people in the crime. One of the cars was later found abandoned near the Vallakadavu area. According to Vysakh, the abducted man was approximately 30 years old, tall, fair-complexioned, and healthy, dressed in blue jeans and a white shirt, with no luggage.
As they approached Arasumoottil temple at Sreekanteshwaram, two cars overtook and blocked the rickshaw. The attackers, visibly angry, pulled the passenger out, assaulted him, and forced him into a car. When Vysakh inquired about their actions, he was slapped and told to stay away.
Within minutes, the cars sped of.