Terror suspects Abdul Shameem and Thoufeeq Yusuf, who allegedly murdered a special sub inspector in Kanyakumari on January 8, have been apprehended by the Karnataka police, six days after they fled the scene of crime. The two murder accused were held by the police at a railway station at Udipi in Karnataka.
On January 8, the duo allegedly shot dead Special Sub Inspector Wilson of Marthandam in Tamil Nadu. He was stationed at a check-post on the Tamil Nadu - Kerala border in Kanyakumari district when two men who arrived in an SUV allegedly opened fire at him. The assailants fired three rounds on Wilson, killing him on the spot. Following this, the two of them fled, forcing Tamil Nadu and Kerala police to form special teams
Karnataka Home Minister, Basavaraja Bommai told the media, “Two suspected terrorists from Kerala have been picked up by us from the Udupi railway station."
Abdul Shameem and Thoufeeq Yusuf are allegedly part of an ISIS inspired model, with members across the country. A day after the murder of the police officer, Delhi police apprehended three terror suspects. Amongst them were 52-year-old Khaja Moideen and 32-year-old Syed Ali Nivas, who along with Abdul Shameem had been accused in the murder of Hindu Munnani leader Suresh Kumar in 2014. The trio had skipped bail and fled from their last known residences before resurfacing in January.
According to Tamil Nadu police sources, the group had alleged plans to create unrest and spread terror ahead of Republic Day and the murder of the police officer was merely a sign of things to come.
However, with the police hot behind their heels, Shameem and Thoufeeq were forced to escape to Kerala, prompting the Kerala police too to join the search for them. They were finally found in Udipi at a railways station, according to reports. Four men were reportedly picked up by the police from a forest area near the Courtallam waterfalls in joint operation with the Kerala police. Another was apprehended by the Q-branch in Bengaluru.