Kollam, March 14 – A notorious gangster who had recently been released on bail in a sensational murder case was brutally killed in a daylight attack on a national highway in Karunagappally, Kerala, on Saturday. Police suspect this is the latest escalation in a violent gang rivalry.
The victim, Aluva Atul, the main suspect in the murder of Gym Santhosh, was attacked while returning from the Karunagappally police station as part of his bail conditions.
The incident occurred around 11 a.m. near a petrol pump in Puthiyakavu.
According to police, a group travelling in a Haryana-registered Innova chased Atul's vehicle and rammed it from behind.
The impact caused the car to crash into a trench that had been dug for ongoing construction of the national highway.
CCTV footage later revealed four men jumping out of the Innova, armed with machetes and other weapons.
The attackers dragged Atul out of the car and repeatedly attacked him on the busy highway before fleeing the scene.
Manu, who was travelling with Atul and is also a suspect in the Santhosh murder case, was also injured during the attack.
Atul was rushed to the hospital in critical condition but later succumbed to his injuries.
Police believe the killing was the culmination of a long-standing feud between rival gangs in the Karunagappally–Ochira region.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the attackers were associated with Gym Santhosh and were allegedly seeking revenge for his murder.
Santhosh, a notorious but locally influential gangster, was brutally murdered in his house on March 27, 2025.
A gang allegedly led by Atul had cut off the electricity supply to the house, thrown explosives to create panic, and then killed Santhosh in front of his mother.
Although police later filed a charge sheet in the case, Atul had recently managed to secure bail, reportedly angering Santhosh's supporters.
Investigators suspect that the attackers tracked Atul's movements and carefully planned the ambush, knowing that he would be visiting the police station.
The dramatic killing, carried out in broad daylight under CCTV cameras and near the police station, has caused panic among residents.
Police have tightened security across the Kollam district and launched a manhunt for the attackers.
Officials are examining CCTV footage and exploring possible links to organized criminal networks and the narcotics trade, which police believe may be fueling gang rivalries in the region.