Law catches up with political worker who became headache for Kerala police

A former political operative, now labeled a notorious criminal, has become a thorn in the side of Kerala's law enforcement. Arjun Ayanki, 29, amassed a sizable social media following, boasting over 1.29 lakh Instagram followers. He often posted pictures of himself in various settings, including reading and playing snooker, while simultaneously engaging in criminal activities. Over the years, Ayanki registered 20 cases against him.

His latest arrest came after he threatened police officers investigating his alleged criminal behavior. In May, Ernakulam rural police apprehended Ayanki and his associates from a resort for allegedly conspiring to commit a crime. Following his release on bail in June, Ayanki vowed on social media to target the inspector who arrested him. Despite police efforts to revoke his bail, Ayanki persisted in issuing threats through social media, specifically targeting a state home minister.

On August 6, Ayanki's final threatening post led to an intensified search, resulting in his arrest on Sunday. He was taken into custody and remanded to judicial detention. The Home Minister, Ramesh Chennithala, emphasized that challenging the police is akin to challenging society and vowed to uphold the rule of law. Ayanki, once a dedicated worker for the CPI (M) and local leader for the youth wing DYFI, had previously faced setbacks due to the decline in political violence and involvement in criminal activities, including smuggling gold from the Middle East.