The police on Friday took into custody Akhil, the brother of fugitive history-sheeter Arjun Ayanki, from Thekkinkadu Maidan in Thrissur as part of the intensified hunt for the absconding criminal.

The police said Akhil was traced using the tower location of his mobile phone and was taken into custody for questioning. Officers have stepped up searches across Thrissur city, inspecting vehicles and monitoring key routes in an effort to trace Arjun.

Investigators also obtained CCTV footage showing Arjun Ayanki’s car crossing the Paliyekkara toll plaza. The police suspect that he switched vehicles from Thrissur to evade surveillance and escape the dragnet.

Earlier, a police team led by the Muvattupuzha Dy.SP arrested two Kannur natives for allegedly helping Arjun remain in hiding. They are accused of providing shelter and logistical support to the fugitive.

Arjun is currently wanted in connection with a case alleging that he threatened the Kothamangalam Station House Officer through a Facebook post after being released from jail.

The case stems from an incident in May this year when Arjun and six others were arrested by a police team led by the Kothamangalam SHO on charges of criminal conspiracy linked to organised crime while attending a friend’s wedding. After spending 21 days in judicial custody, Arjun allegedly posted a message on Facebook threatening the officer, stating that he would not allow him to “live peacefully after retirement.”

Published - August 07, 2026 08:09 pm IST