A woman in Kerala allegedly conspired with four others to kidnap and kill her boyfriend, who had travelled to meet her, only to be lured into an ambush, assaulted and abandoned near a riverbank in Malappuram district, in Kerala, police said.
The incident took place in Tirur in Malappuram district, where the victim, a resident of Pattambi in Palakkad, was allegedly lured into a trap, abducted in a car, brutally assaulted and robbed before being abandoned near a riverside late at night.
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Police identified the prime accused as Safana, 19, who allegedly orchestrated the assault with the help of four accomplices.
The arrested accomplices have been identified as Nadia, 20, and Rabiba, 25, both from Tirur, along with Irshad, 28, and Azharudheen, 25.
Investigators said the victim had travelled to Tirur late at night in search of his girlfriend, unaware that an alleged kidnapping plot had been set in motion against him.
One of the accused reportedly approached him and offered to take him to the woman. Believing the assurance, the victim accompanied the person on a motorcycle to a location where the remaining members of the group were allegedly waiting.
Police said the victim was subsequently forced into a car, where the accused assaulted him, snatched his mobile phone and attempted to kill him.
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After the attack, the gang allegedly dumped him on the roadside near the Thazhepalam riverbank and fled.
Despite his injuries, the victim managed to contact the police, following which an investigation was launched to identify those involved in the attack.
A police team led by Tirur Inspector Jaleel Karuthedath arrested all five accused near Thazhepalam in the early hours of Wednesday.
The criminal antecedents of two of the arrested men have also come under scrutiny.
Police said Irshad and Azharudheen have been named in several criminal cases involving drug trafficking, attempted murder and violent assaults in the coastal belt.
Both have reportedly served prison terms and faced proceedings under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, commonly known as KAAPA.
All five accused were produced before the Tirur Magistrate Court and remanded to judicial custody.
Police are continuing their investigation to establish the sequence of events, the motive behind the alleged attack and the individual roles of those involved in the kidnapping and attempted murder plot.
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