The arrested prime suspect Abdul Halim. Photo: TV GrabPerumbavoor/Kochi: The Kerala police, investigating a theft by an eight-member gang posing as vigilance personnel at a house in Perumbavoor last week, are looking into the role of some men with links to terrorists.
The police arrested Abdul Halim, the prime suspect in the case, along with three others. Halim is also one of the accused in the Kalamassery bus burning case of 2005 in which alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba operative Thadiyantavide Nazeer was the prime accused.
Police suspect that Halim, who is close to Nazeer, and his gang carried out the robbery to fund terrorism-related activities.
Among the four arrested, two of them were nabbed from Perumbavoor and the other two from Palakkad-Malappuram border.
An official part of the probe team said the role of some extremist elements was being investigated in the theft of valuables including 60 sovereigns of gold ornaments worth lakhs of rupees at the residence of one Siddique Abdul Rahman.
"Investigation is progressing. We suspect role of some extremist elements in the robbery", the official said, refusing to divulge more details.
Last week, a gang posing as vigilance and anti-corruption bureau officials had conducted a 'search' at Siddique's house and decamped with goods including gold jewels.
The eight-member gang robbed Siddique's house when he had gone for prayers at a mosque in their neighborhood last Friday.
(With inputs from agencies)
