Visuals of half-naked masked men spark fear in Ernakulam

Kochi: Sightings of half-naked masked men, wearing only a pair of briefs, have triggered widespread scare among residents of Chendamangalam-Chittattukara region in Ernakulam, as the attire of the suspicious men were strikingly similar to that of the infamous Kuruva gang.

Residents said they found CCTV footage in at least four houses. The suspicious-looking men wrapped a cloth around their heads and seemingly wore a pair of gloves. Most instances were reported from Chendamangalam panchayat's 12th ward.

"In some houses, they came around 2.30am. We could spot them in four or five houses with cameras. We don't know if they reached houses without cameras. No burglary has taken place, only attempts have been noticed so far," said Anoob TG, a local body member from Karimpadam.

Vadakkekara police said they are yet to confirm if the men in the visuals were indeed the Kuruva gang. "Besides reports of attempts and the suspicious visuals, we haven't found any evidence of the gang being active here. We will soon record the statement of the woman, who heard something suspicious, and register a case," said an officer. Surveillance and patrolling have been intensified, he added.

The term Kuruva burglars refer to a band of thieves, from Tamil Nadu, infamous for violence during thefts. However, there could be copycats, said law enforcement officers. Even local burglars may dress up like them to evade detection. Recently, a Kuruva gang was blamed for a gold chain snatching from a mother and three-month-old daughter sleeping in their house at Ambalappuzha in Alappuzha district. However, police haven't confirmed Kuruva gang's role in that case either.

Members of a house woke up on hearing a sound, said Anoob. "When they heard the sound, they turned the lights on, and the men disappeared. They noticed an attempt to pry open the door. The men in the CCTV footage here are similar to the burglars spotted in Alappuzha. Similar to the CCTV footage from Alappuzha, there were two people not wearing shirts. One of them held a torchlight, and the other held something like a crowbar," he said.

"They seem to have arrived three nights ago and reached the houses on two days. We realized they visited multiple houses only after the CCTV footage surfaced," said Anoob. "All houses the men visited were in a 150-200m radius. The men haven't been spotted anywhere in public yet," he added.

"We shared alerts via WhatsApp for residents to be cautious. Residents in neighbouring Thooyithara, in Chittattukara, have also increased vigilance," he added.

Thooyithara ward member Rajesh MK said it's possible that our ward may be affected too, as it is closeby. "But they haven't come here yet. I have shared messages with residents here asking them to stay alert," he said.