In the dead of night, when most people are fast asleep, a notorious gang strikes, leaving behind a trail of fear and chaos. Meet the Kuruva gang, a ruthless band of robbers with a terrifying modus operandi.

On Saturday, the Kochi City Police, Alappuzha Police, and Fire and Rescue Services found themselves in a high-stakes manhunt as they closed in on Santhosh Selvan – suspected to be a key member of this gang.

Also Read | What Is The Kuruva Gang, The Notorious Tamil Nadu-Based Robbers?

It all began on October 29, when the Alappuzha police investigated a series of thefts in Mannanchery. Three houses had been targeted in a single night – each with a strikingly similar pattern: forced entry through a door wrenched open by a sharp tool.

This was no ordinary thief. The method was signature to a gang that had terrorized Kerala and parts of Tamil Nadu for years – entering homes under the cover of darkness.

But who exactly is the Kuruva gang?

The group, hailing from Thiruttu Gramam in Tamil Nadu, earned notoriety after chilling CCTV footage from Kottayam’s Athirampuzha emerged in November 2021 – three masked men, dressed only in innerwear, carrying lethal weapons and moving silently through the night.

The Kuruva gang is known for targeting houses with easy entry and exit points, often after surveilling the area during the day. They smear themselves with oil, making it harder for witnesses to recognize them. With the use of a single weapon, they break in and attack anyone who came in their way.

While the authorities have made progress, many questions remain: How many other robberies are linked to the Kuruva gang? And how much longer will their reign of terror last?