73 court absconders arrested in one-day drive across district

Kochi: In a coordinated one-day enforcement drive across the district, Ernakulam rural police arrested 73 people who were absconding after failing to appear before courts in non-bailable cases and produced them before the court on Tuesday.The operation was carried out simultaneously in different subdivisions. The highest number of arrests was reported from Puthencruz subdivision, where 23 evaders were apprehended. Munambam subdivision followed with 21 arrests, while Aluva subdivision accounted for 20. Police said the action was part of a broader effort to execute long-pending warrants and track down accused people evading legal proceedings. During the drive, 20 individuals wanted in connection with pending warrants were taken into custody. In addition, four people who were absconding during the course of investigations were also arrested. Apart from tracing court evaders, police also intensified enforcement in other areas. As many as 567 persons were booked for alleged traffic violations. In cases related to narcotic drugs, 34 persons were arrested, with the highest number of cases reported from Perumbavoor subdivision, where 14 individuals were taken into custody. Police also registered cases against 91 people for offences such as consuming liquor in public places and illegal possession of liquor. Munambam subdivision recorded the highest number of such cases at 28. Further, action was taken against 59 people for selling banned tobacco products. As part of the operation, police also verified the status of habitual offenders, individuals released on bail and those recently released from prison. Inspections were conducted at railway stations, bus stands, parking areas, public places and lodges. The special drive was carried out on the directions of Ernakulam range DIG Arul R B Krishna, and similar operations will continue in the coming days, police said. Man held for sexual assault City police arrested an event management entrepreneur for allegedly raping a divorced woman on the promise of marriage and cheating her of money and gold. The accused, Ayoobi, 50, a resident of Palarivattom, was arrested following a complaint filed by a woman from Thiruvananthapuram. Police said he was taken into custody from a flat in Kochi after a detailed investigation and later produced before a court, which remanded him to judicial custody. According to the complaint, the woman became acquainted with the accused in 2022 after he allegedly promised to marry her. She alleged that he sexually assaulted her at various apartments in Kochi between 2024 and Jan 2026 and forced her to undergo abortion twice. Police said the accused also allegedly extorted Rs 15 lakh and around 10 sovereigns of gold by threatening to circulate her obscene photographs on social media. Two held for filming reels on moving train Railway police arrested two people for allegedly filming social media reels on a moving train in a manner that caused inconvenience to passengers. The accused were identified as Jismon, 20, and Kiran, 29, natives of Vattaparambu, Ernakulam. According to railway protection force, the incident occurred onboard the Ernakulam–Bengaluru Intercity Express in the first week of March. Following complaints and the appearance of the reels online on March 4, the duo was summoned on March 6. They were later released on station bail.