Daring Cross-State Arrest! Kerala Cops Nab ‘Kuruva Gangster’ in Tamil Nadu

Kerala Police have finally caged a slippery predator from the infamous ‘Kuruva gang,’ nabbing 56-year-old Kattupoochan in a daring cross-state operation.

Arrested Sunday from Ramanathapuram in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai district, the Mannancherry police, with Tamil Nadu counterparts in tow, ended his months-long evasion linked to a spree of thefts in Mannancherry last year.

Kattupoochan’s capture follows the earlier arrests of three gangmates, including ringleader Santhosh Selvam, tied to burglaries across Alappuzha and Ernakulam districts.

Known for their ruthless edge, the ‘Kuruva gang’ doesn’t shy from violence—or even murder—when cornered, police say. This time, the net closed tight on a man who’d dodged them since Selvam’s November bust, thanks to local hideouts in Ramanathapuram.

Caught on camera, Kattupoochan was a key player in multiple heists. On November 12, 2024, he and his crew hit a Mannancherry home at 2 AM, snatching a 3.5-sovereign gold chain from a woman’s neck.

Another job near Komalapuram Spinners saw them pry open a kitchen door, making off with a nose ring, Rs 3,000 cash, and gold earrings. His rap sheet stretches across Kerala and Tamil Nadu, with cases piling up in Mararikulam, Punnapra, Pulinkunnu, North Paravur, and Vadakkekara.

The gang’s dark history peaked in 2013, when Kattupoochan and four others stormed a Mararikulam home near the railway tracks. Timing their break-in with a train’s rumble to cover the chaos, they battered a newlywed woman and her mother with iron rods, looting their jewelry.

Sentenced to 18 years of hard time, Kattupoochan walked free in 2020 under a COVID-19 amnesty after serving most of his term—only to dive back into crime.

This arrest marks a big win for Kerala Police, shutting down a notorious cog in a violent theft machine. As investigations roll on, Mannancherry breathes a little easier tonight, with one less shadow lurking in the dark.