Kochi: A police officer sustained a bone fracture while others suffered minor injuries after a group of heavily intoxicated men allegedly attacked a police team that responded to a disturbance complaint at an apartment complex in Kochi in the early hours of Saturday.

The injured officer, Kochi City Traffic East Inspector, Udayakumar, suffered a fracture to his hand during the clash that occurred at an apartment complex near Marottichodu, Unichira, near Thrikkakara. The police arrested five men employed as security personnel at a prominent shopping mall through a security agency in the city. The accused had been staying in a rented apartment in the area. 

According to police, the incident began around 12.30 am on Saturday when the five men, allegedly under the influence of alcohol, created a disturbance inside their apartment. Residents complained of loud shouting and unruly behaviour, prompting the building caretaker to contact the police emergency helpline 112. A control room vehicle was dispatched to the location. However, instead of cooperating with the officers, the accused turned aggressive, blocked the police vehicle and pelted stones at it. 

“As the situation escalated, additional police teams were rushed to the spot. Inspector Udayakumar, who was on night patrol duty, also arrived to assist the responding officers. The police said the accused attacked the officers when attempts were made to take them into custody. Stones were allegedly hurled at the police team, and during the confrontation, Udayakumar sustained a fracture to his hand after being struck, a police officer said. 

Following the attack, the accused reportedly retreated into a nearby villa and locked themselves inside. The police subsequently forced entry into the building and took all five into custody. Their arrests were recorded later. The accused were identified as Akshay (25), a native of Wayanad, Jineesh (38) of Kollam, Ajmal (20) and Althaf (21) of Thiruvananthapuram and Shamsudheen (36) of Nemmara.

After being taken into custody and undergoing medical examination at the Government Medical College Hospital, Kalamassery, the accused allegedly continued to confront police personnel at the station. According to officers, they filmed the police on their mobile phones and questioned the action taken against them, saying, “Who gave you the authority to enter our property and beat us? You are just servants of the public, eating food bought with the tax money we pay.”

A case will be registered by the Thrikkakara police, and the accused persons will be booked under various sections, including those for assault, voluntarily causing grievous hurt, obstructing duty, causing public nuisance, etc. Senior police officials said legal proceedings against the accused were underway. 

Udayakumar was currently undergoing treatment for the fracture.