Kottayam: In a dramatic turn of events on Saturday evening, a red car rammed into a police jeep at a vehicle inspection point on Erattupetta Road and sped away, triggering a high-speed chase. The police pursued the red car in both an official jeep and a private vehicle along the Erattupetta-Pala Road, with both vehicles sideswiping multiple times.

The chase began when the red car, coming from the Thodupuzha side, veered onto Plassanal Road from Panakkapalam. The police ultimately intercepted the vehicle by cornering it on a narrow road, after which the occupants were nabbed with the assistance of local residents. The individuals were identified as history-sheeters: Jijo George (39) from Kanjirathingal, Shahnawaz Yakub (33) from Erattupetta, and Abhilash Raju (24) from Puliyannoor. They were taken into custody.

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Jijo George (L), Shahnawaz Yakub (C) and Abhilash Raju (R)
Jijo George (L), Shahnawaz Yakub (C) and Abhilash Raju (R)

Jijo George has a long list of cases against him across various police stations, including Thodupuzha, Thrissur East, Pothanicad, Kaliyar, Kanjar, Vazhakulam, Kunnathunadu, Koratty, Kothamangalam, Muvattupuzha, Muttom, Melukavu, and Vaikom.

Shahnawaz Yakub has a criminal record at the Erattupetta police station, while Abhilash Raju is wanted in Kidangoor and Pala stations, as well as the Peerumed Excise Circle Office.

The trio was produced in court and subsequently remanded.