Missing Kochi cop found safe in TN after five-day search; likely to face departmental inquiry

Kochi: A five-day search for a police officer who went missing from Kochi ended in Tamil Nadu after the police team traced him to Pollachi on Friday. Civil Police Officer (CPO) Anjith (41), attached to Vadakkekkara Police Station in Ernakulam Rural police district, was found safe and taken into police custody.

Anjith had gone missing on July 25 after leaving his residence in Kuzhuppilly allegedly following a domestic dispute. His wife, Greeshma (29), later approached the Munambam Police, following which a missing person case was registered under Section 57 of the Kerala Police Act. During the search, investigators tracked his movements across several locations in Kerala before eventually locating him in Tamil Nadu.

According to Munambam police, tracing the officer proved particularly challenging because he was familiar with police tracking methods and had taken deliberate steps to avoid being detected.

“His phone was broken. He told us a vehicle ran over it, or it got crushed on the second day after he left. Because he is a policeman himself, he didn’t leave room for precautions. If he intentionally wanted to stay away, he knows how the police would search, which routes they would look into, and that if a mobile phone is turned on, it can be traced,” said a senior police officer. 

With his mobile phone out of service, investigators shifted their focus to his financial and digital trail. The police tracked ATM withdrawals, bank transactions and calls he made using borrowed mobile phones.

“He had withdrawn ₹6,000 from here the other day. We were tracking each withdrawal and his ATM movements. Since there was no mobile phone, our next move was account transfers and ATM usage. We tracked him step by step like that,” the officer added. 

Anjith’s movements were traced through several locations in Kerala — Kodungallur, Aluva and West Alangad — before he crossed into Tamil Nadu.

The police later picked up digital clues placing him in Palani before finally zeroing in on Pollachi.

“From Palani, he called using someone’s number. Then he told his elder brother that he needed money. So we asked his brother to tell him he would give it, delayed it to buy time and managed to trace it like that. Finally, he called from another number; we took that location. Then he called from a third number, and when we took that location, it showed Pollachi,” police sources said.

A team from the Munambam Police was immediately dispatched to Pollachi, where officers intercepted Anjith while he was moving around the town.

Anjith will be brought back to Kochi and produced before a court as part of the standard legal procedure followed in missing person cases before being reunited with his family.

While the missing person case concludes with his safe recovery, Anjith is also likely to face departmental proceedings for remaining absent from duty without obtaining leave.

The Vadakkekkara SHO had already been submitted to senior officers immediately after Anjith failed to report for duty.

“He went without applying for leave. We already sent a report to higher authorities regarding that. Since he didn’t turn up for duty without applying for leave, we had to report it immediately,” an officer said.

Once he comes back and reports for duty, the SHO will seek an explanation for his absence. “If the explanation is satisfactory, we will proceed accordingly. Otherwise, necessary departmental action will be initiated,” the officer added.