KOCHI: Brandishing lethal weapons, and bodies smeared with charcoal and oil; they are a small clan with little to no hesitation when it comes to killing people. This introduction fits well for the feared ‘Kuruva’ gang. In Kerala, the gang is mostly stationed in Alappuzha, Kottayam and Ernakulam districts.

These gangs hail from Kambam, Bodinayakanur, Coimbatore, Madurai and Thanjavur. It was Tamil Nadu Intelligence that gave the moniker ‘Kuruva’ to the gang.

These people mostly work during the day in local establishments while keeping a close eye on the houses in nearby premises. The gang only target commoners. They fix on a home that gives easy access through the back door area. Sometimes the gang will open the tap or play baby noises to attract attention at night. The sound will force someone from the house to come out and check.

‘Kuruva’ will be the surprise late-night visitors and an attack will follow. The gang will later attack the family members and will complete the theft and elope. Santhosh Selvaraj and his gang lived under the Kundannur bridge for the last three months.

Youngsters to people aged up to 55 are part of the gang. They are trained in martial arts. So bringing them down in an attack is no menial task. Before planning a theft, the gang will move away from their former hiding place. The robbery happened at least 10 km away from the camp.

The gang will consume alcohol before conducting the theft. They will also cover their face with a mask while being half naked.