Kerala cops arrest kidnappers of youngster from quarantine, suspect smuggling link

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Kannur, Aug 26, 2020: The Kerala police have arrested six people in connection with a kidnapping attempt of a youth from a paid quarantine facility in Kannur district’s Koothuparambu. Sources told CNN-News18 that a gold smuggling link is being suspected behind the incident.

According to police, Binshad, a native of Kannur, had returned from Dubai and landed Kochi airport recently. From there he headed to a paid quarantine facility in Koothuparambu.

"When Binshad was leaving the facility after completion of the quarantine period, a group of men barged in and tried to drag him out of the building. His friends and another group of men came to his rescue and a scuffle broke out between them," said Yatish Chandra, Kannur district police chief.

The investigative officers suspect gold smuggling to be the reason behind the incident. Binshad could have been a carrier and upon reaching the destination he did not handover the gold, leading to a scuffle, they said.

Police have arrested six men from both the groups under various sections of the IPC ranging from kidnapping to unlawful assembly, rioting and wrongful restraint.

A case has also been registered against Binshad under Section 308 which deals with attempt to commit culpable homicide.