Ponnurunni ROB
The Aluva attack comes barely two months after another brutal incident in Thrikkakara on July 26 that landed three young men in hospital.
Praveen’s father, Sunil K K, said his son had to spend weeks in the hospital after sustaining a severe head injury causing internal bleeding. We never got any kind of support or financial assistance either,” said Sunil. The attackers were arrested and police held evidence collection with them, he said. We are awaiting when the case will go to court,” said Sunil.
Kochi : Behind Kochi’s growing nightlife lies a darker reality: a sharp rise in assaults that authorities are struggling to control. The latest in a recent spree of night-time violence left a youngster in Aluva with fractured ribs and broken bones last Sunday. it is part of a larger pattern of recurring night-time assaults across the city Although the brutality in Aluva has shaken the authorities. Vazhakkala native Praveen Kumar had to be admitted to the ICU of a private hospital. The visuals of the attack, recorded by a passerby, show how brutally he was struck down by a gang of goons in the night. “His friends are also still recovering from the injury. One of them had a fractured jaw and is yet to fully recover. Besides the trauma of the attack, we had to spend a huge amount on hospital expenses. “Our statements were also recorded.
In 2024, the number of people sustaining grievous injuries in assault cases in Kochi was 287, of whom 175 were attacked with dangerous weapons or means, according to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data. In 2023, the number of grievous hurt victims was only 91 and in 2022, it was 98. Just a stone’s throw away from Vyttila, one of the state’s busiest junctions, is Ponnurunni where Sudha Baby, 46, from Kottayam was murdered.
A long-term initiative, Operation Steelbird, has been launched to keep goons and other criminal elements under surveillance, the officer added. Ernakulam rural SP K S Sudarshan said police have launched an intensive special drive in Aluva town. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Kochi | Silver Rate in Kochi | Bank Holidays in Kochi | Public Holidays in Kochi Stay updated with the latest Kochi news.
Residents said the area is frequented by anti-social elements, and despite repeatedly raising concerns, there has been no lasting solution. The criminals are targeting people in Aluva town looking for sex workers, said police sources. The criminals are targeting those who approach sex workers as they are unlikely to file a complaint,” said a senior officer. He said that they have written to railway and municipal authorities to clear the thick vegetation around the railway station, providing a hideout for anti-social elements. “We are going to continue surprise inspections and raids in the coming days,” said Sudarshan. Vahitha Nissar, president of Clean City Initiative, Aluva, said police presence in the city had increased since the incident, but that wasn’t so until last week. Women were being approached and propositioned by strangers, and men were asked if they had a room or space available for such activities,” she said.
In the past three months, there have been multiple incidents of violence, including attacks on police officers while they tried to prevent escalation of conflicts. Each incident triggers a knee-jerk reaction from the authorities, including special operations and patrolling, but a consistent approach is lacking, leading to such situations repeating. The attacker had slammed her face onto the ground and inflicted severe injuries before placing her body on the railway tracks under the railway overbridge. The area, with overgrown shrubbery around, created the perfect cover for the night-time crime. This week, TOI visited the spot, and the situation was the same, or even worse, six months after the murder. Commuters, who take the underpass between the ROB and Vyttila flyover from Ponnurunni, take a right towards Vyttila Junction, while a narrow road straight ahead is a shortcut towards Vyttila Hub. To the left is an abandoned yard, overgrown with shrubs. A pathway has been formed in the grassy patches by pedestrians who use the yard to reach the area under the ROB. There is absolute darkness, a perfect setting for anti-socials to camp. The pathway leads to the exact spot where Sudha was murdered. A few steps away from the crime scene, a group of men were consuming alcohol in public, using a bike’s seat as a table, showing that nothing had changed and another tragedy was waiting to happen. In the latest night-time violence in Aluva last Sunday, the victim suffered multiple fractures to his ribs and hands in an attack. Police later arrested three men, of whom two had six cases registered against them at various police stations. As usual, following the Aluva attack, police have woken up and have begun conducting night patrols across the town and its surroundings, checking the market area, the railway station and its surroundings. “There is a limit for the police to act against sex workers unless a crime occurs. “Recently, I was chased by a man wielding a hammer and who appeared to be under the influence of some intoxicant. Harassment on the streets had become common. Consistent police action, backed by the support of public volunteers, is the only way to find a lasting solution, she added. Besides police enforcement, civic authorities too need to step up to ensure such dark spots are no longer unlit. For instance, new lights were installed at Goods Platform Road near Aluva railway station after the latest attack. Similarly, the areas under North and South ROBs are now brightly lit, offering some respite to commuters. Such quick fixes remain scattered and reactive, only after tragedy strikes. Until there is a consistent effort from various stakeholders, Kochi’s dark corners will continue to offer cover for those waiting in the shadows. Download the TOI App.