Kochi: A dramatic late-night rescue operation ended on a happy note on Sunday, as a cat trapped between Metro pillars near Kaloor station in Ernakulam was brought down safely.

The Gandhi Nagar Fire and Rescue team carried out the operation after the metro power supply was shut off at 11 pm on Saturday. The rescue continued until 1 am on Sunday.

A large crowd of residents and regular commuters gathered at the spot as the rescue unfolded to watch the animal, fondly named Subash, being brought down. Onlookers cheered when the cat was finally rescued safely. The animal has been shifted to a veterinary hospital for treatment.

According to Kochi Metro Rail PRO Jayakumar K K, the cat was first spotted around 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, he said.

"We switched off the power supply for 17 minutes on Saturday noon, and the rescue team used a crane to reach the area where the cat was hiding, but it could not be caught. We then planned another attempt at 11 pm," Jayakumar had told Onmanorama earlier. He had added that the cat was not in immediate danger and there was no possibility of it coming into contact with live wires.

Meanwhile, social media was flooded with videos of the trapped cat, with users urging officials to rescue and care for it. Numerous comments expressing concern about the animal's well-being appeared across platforms.

Fire and Rescue personnel said Kochi Metro Rail authorities alerted them early Saturday 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.

Despite hours of waiting and multiple attempts on Saturday, the animal could not be rescued. A decision was later taken to shut down the active lines again around 11 pm, following which the rescue was successful.