Kochi: The Kochi City Police have arrested notorious gang leader Maradu Aneesh, ending his long run as a fugitive in the city. The gangster, who is an accused in multiple cases in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, was arrested on Thursday morning.

The arrest occurred by chance rather than through a pre-planned operation. A team from the North Paravur police was tracking a suspect involved in an unrelated ‘honeytrap’ case when they unexpectedly identified Aneesh at a house within the Mulavukad station limits. Realising the significance of the catch, they alerted Munambam DySP, who alerted Kochi City police. Following this, Mulavukad police were immediately directed to detain Aneesh.

“It was an accidental discovery during a separate investigation. Since there were no immediate cases pending at the Mulavukad station, he was transferred to the Kochi Central Station to execute a long-standing warrant for failing to appear in court for the trial of a case registered against Aneesh in 2005”, said a senior police officer.

The arrest comes at a critical time, as a special investigation team from the Tamil Nadu police is currently in Kochi. They are seeking Aneesh in connection with a major gold theft case in Chavadi near Coimbatore, where he is accused of hijacking a vehicle smuggling gold.

Though Aneesh has been evading arrest, he recently made headlines by telling media outlets that he feared for his life. He alleged that the Tamil Nadu police planned to eliminate him in a “fake encounter” rather than bring him to trial. His concerns stem from a history of violent incidents involving his gang, including the 2012 shooting of his aide Sinoj by TN police in Dindigul, and the mysterious death of another associate, Pratheesh Varghese, in a Tamil Nadu jail last October.

Despite the presence of the Tamil Nadu squad, Kerala police have clarified that they will strictly follow jurisdictional procedures. “We are aware that the team from Chavadi is in the city, but we will not be handing him over directly. He will be produced in court for the 2005 warrant first. If he secures bail in that case, the Tamil Nadu police are free to approach the court and formally request his custody,” the officer added. If remanded by the court, Aneesh will be moved to judicial custody.