THAMARASSERY: A former expatriate was abducted by a gang that arrived in a car in Thamarassery. Ashraf (55) of Muringampurayil was kidnapped by a gang that arrived in Tata Sumo and a car. The incident took place on Saturday night at 10 pm near Vezhupoor school on the Thamarassery-Mukkam road.

Former expat Ashraf is running A to Z supermarket in Mukkam. On the way home after closing the shop, the gang followed him, blocked the scooter and attacked him. They later took him on the sumo. The scooter was left on the road side. The Thamarassery police have registered a case and started an investigation. Police took the scooter into custody. Visulas of Ashraf being abducted has been caught on CCTV.

It is suspected that Ali Ubair, a native of Kodiyathur, the thirty-sixth accused in the gold smuggling case that killed 5 people in Karipur, was involved in the incident. It was revealed that one of the cars used by the group was taken on rent using the identity card of Ali Ubair. Ashraf's relative's financial dealings resulted in the kidnapping. All the accused have been identified.