Death threats, vandalism and more: New videos reveal horror of attack by drunk youngsters on police in Kochi

Kochi: Fresh videos that surfaced on Tuesday have revealed the full extent of the violent attack carried out by five youngsters, allegedly drunk, on a police patrol team near Thrikkakara in Kochi late last week. The visuals show chilling death threats against officers, the vandalisation of a police vehicle, attempts to prevent policemen from leaving the spot, and their demands on intervention by ministers in the issue.

The footage, recorded on mobile phones during the incident purportedly by members of the group themselves, provides a detailed account of the confrontation that unfolded near Marottichodu in Unichira during the early hours of Saturday.

The visuals show a team of two or three night patrol officers surrounded by the intoxicated men, who can be seen arguing aggressively with the police, demanding explanations for their presence, and refusing to allow them to leave.

According to police, the incident began around 12.30 am on Saturday after residents of a rented apartment complex near Marottichodu alerted the police emergency helpline (112), complaining that five men were creating a ruckus under the influence of alcohol.

A police control room vehicle reached the location to verify the complaint. However, instead of cooperating, the men allegedly confronted the officers and blocked the vehicle.

In the newly surfaced footage, the men are seen questioning the officers after being asked to produce their identity cards. They also demanded details of the residents who had lodged the complaint.

At one point, they can be heard shouting: “What is the official ID? Let us see. Do you have any mass (power)? Bring that phone here, bring it!”

The videos also captured one of the accused openly stating that the group would not allow the police personnel to leave without revealing the identity of those who had complained against them.

“What the sub-inspector sir is saying is that a call came from here and a complaint was filed. We are not letting the police officers leave without seeing the vehicle of the people who made that complaint. We won't let them leave. We won't let you leave, sirs!”

As police attempted to calm the situation, the confrontation escalated dramatically. The footage records members of the group issuing direct threats against the officers.

“Without anyone with higher authority coming here, you are planning to put us in this vehicle and take us away, file a false charge sheet, and beat us up. That is why we are protesting... Sir, even if it is just one person, we won't leave this place without killing them! Look, take a video of this... We will leave only after killing them. That's all. We will leave only after killing them!” the youths seen shouting in a self-shot video.

The men are also heard making claims regarding room inspections and demanding the intervention of senior government officials.

“We are standing here on this main road and this man is saying, ‘We will take you in the vehicle and kill you.’ Let him kill us! Either cabinet ministers or people from the government must come here!” another accused said.

The footage subsequently shows the confrontation turning violent, with the group allegedly pelting stones and bricks at the police vehicle, damaging it and attacking the officers.

As the control room team struggled to contain the situation, additional police personnel rushed to the spot. Kochi City Traffic East Inspector Udayakumar, who was on nearby night patrol duty, also arrived to assist.

The police said that when officers attempted to take the men into custody, they physically resisted and attacked the personnel. During the scuffle, Inspector Udayakumar sustained a fracture to his hand after being struck.

Following the assault, the five men allegedly fled into their rented villa and locked themselves inside. The police later forced open the door and took all of them into custody.

The arrested men were identified as Akshay (25) of Wayanad, Jineesh (38) of Kollam, Ajmal (20) of Thiruvananthapuram, Althaf (21) of Thiruvananthapuram and Shamsudheen (36) of Nemmara.

The police said all five were employed as security guards at a major shopping mall in Kochi through a private security agency.

The aggressive behaviour allegedly continued even after the arrests. While being taken to Government Medical College Hospital, Kalamassery, for medical examination and later at the police station, the accused reportedly continued filming the officers and arguing with them.

In another video, one of them is heard telling the police “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.”

The Thrikkakara Police have registered cases against all five and formally recorded their arrests. They have been remanded in judicial custody and face charges including assaulting police personnel, causing grievous hurt, obstructing public servants from discharging their duties, damaging government property and creating a public nuisance.

Inspector Udayakumar is currently undergoing treatment for the fracture sustained during the attack.