Kochi: After spending hours darting between gaps in metro pillars near Kaloor station on Saturday, a stranded cat is set for a late-night rescue. Fire and Rescue Services personnel will attempt to retrieve the animal at 11 pm after earlier efforts failed.

According to Kochi Metro Rail PRO Jayakumar K K, the cat was first spotted about 15 days ago. Metro staff had been feeding it, but whenever attempts were made to catch it, the animal would escape into a cavity between the rail and the viaduct. "Around noon today, we switched off the power supply for 17 minutes and the rescue team used a crane to reach the area where the cat was hiding, but it could not be caught. Another attempt will be made tonight," Jayakumar told Onmanorama.

Jayakumar added that the cat is not in immediate danger and there is no possibility of it coming into contact with live wires.

According to the Fire and Rescue team from the Gandhi Nagar station, Kochi Metro Rail authorities alerted them in the early hours after the animal was found moving between gaps within pillars numbered 556 L, 556 M and 556 R. "The cat was moving from one pillar to another inside the gaps, making the rescue difficult," a fire force personnel said, adding that the live power supply made the operation unsafe.

Despite hours of waiting and multiple attempts, the cat could not be rescued. Meanwhile, the Fire and Rescue team have placed food and a cage near the spot to lure the animal. Metro officials have agreed to switch off the electricity again at 11 pm to facilitate the rescue.