Thrissur: City Police have arrested an eight-member group for house break-in and assault at Nedupuzha here. Police said a financial dispute related to the operation of a spa led to the incident. 

Five women from Coimbatore and Mangaluru, along with three men, were arrested based on a complaint by a Thrissur woman who used to run a spa. One of the arrested women was a former spa employee, police said.

According to investigators, the attack was triggered by a financial dispute and an attempt to retrieve a mobile phone allegedly containing a private video of one of the accused. The group allegedly barged into the complainant's residence and snatched a mobile phone, ₹20,000 in cash, and gold ornaments.

After the woman complained, police launched a search. The accused, who arrived in a car and on a motorcycle, were apprehended after blocking the traffic at Pattikkad.

Police said the accused had planned the attack three days in advance. After staying in Coimbatore the previous day, they reached Thrissur in the evening and waited near the complainant's residence before carrying out the break-in around 12.30 am.

Further investigation is underway, Thrissur City Police Commissioner Naveen R Deshmukh said.