The police said on Sunday that a total of eight people have been arrested in connection with the murder of notorious criminal Aluva Athul in broad daylight at Puthiyakavu on Saturday. City Police Commissioner Hemalatha said six of the accused who were present at the crime scene were arrested within 12 hours. Two more accused were later arrested for harbouring the suspects, conspiracy and arranging transportation to carry out the crime, the officer said.

"Kerala Police will not condone any acts of 'goondaism' in the state. Strict action will be taken against anyone involved in the case," she added. The police have revealed the names of four accused identified as Noufal, Faisal, Shinil Peter and Shamnad, who had fled to different locations after the attack but were later tracked down from various parts of the city. The vehicle used in the crime has also been seized. The names of the remaining four accused are yet to be disclosed.

According to the First Information Report (FIR), the accused conspired to hack to death Athul and his friend Manu alias Kukku to avenge the death of Gym Santosh, whom Athul and his gang had earlier murdered and for whose killing they were later convicted. Athul had gone to the police station as part of his bail conditions. Before 11 am, he left the station and was driving along the Karunagappally–Alappuzha National Highway in his blue Swift car when an Innova rammed the vehicle, causing it to veer off the road onto a stretch under construction at Puthiyakavu.

The accused, Vishnu and Ashique alias Thoma, then got out of the car and broke the vehicle's glass using a machete. When Manu tried to jump out and escape, one of the accused slashed him with the weapon, injuring his arm. As Athul got out of the car, the gang hacked him multiple times. After the attackers fled, passers-by rushed Athul to a nearby private hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.

A case has been registered under Sections 118(1) (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 103(1) (murder), and 3(5) (criminal acts done by several persons in furtherance of a common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Athul was the prime accused in the murder of local gym owner Santosh, alias Gym Santosh, in Karunagappally on March 27, 2025. Santosh, who had earlier been out on bail in connection with a 2024 murder case, was attacked inside his house by a gang that allegedly included Athul. The assailants reportedly broke into the house and killed him using weapons such as a hoe, a machete and an iron rod.