Police suspect gold smuggling angle

Eight persons taken into custody

The Feroke police on Monday took into custody eight persons, who reportedly escorted the car which met with the accident claiming the lives of five persons at Pulinchodu near Ramanattukara in the district. They were taken into custody on the basis of scientific evidence that they were part of a gang engaged in grabbing smuggled gold. Police sources said a case would be registered against them under Section 399 (punishment for making preparations to commit dacoity) of the Indian Penal Code. According to the police, the plan of the gang, including those killed in the accident, was to grab nearly 2.33 kg of smuggled gold from a passenger who had reached the Kozhikode airport on Monday morning. However, the Calicut Air Intelligence Unit had seized it during the checking. The accident occurred when the gang members were returning in haste after the failed plan, the police said.