{
  "id": 374827,
  "title": "Who is Arjun Ayanki? Kerala man who taunted police on social media is caught",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/09/who-is-arjun-ayanki-kerala-man-who-taunted-police-on-social-media-is",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-08-09T12:46:45.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/india/who-is-arjun-ayanki-kerala-man-who-taunted-police-on-social-media-is-caught-1.500635405"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Arjun Ayanki, a former political activist from Kerala, has been captured after days on the run. He was apprehended in Kannur early Sunday morning, following police tracking to a flat where he was allegedly hiding. Ayanki, who is a former Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) activist, rose to prominence online as a vocal supporter of the party. Despite allegations of criminal connections, DYFI severed ties with him. Police were pursuing Ayanki due to threats he allegedly made against police officers on social media in May. The Kerala High Court denied his request for anticipatory bail, which led to a heightened search for him. He was eventually identified through an auto-rickshaw driver who tipped off the authorities. Ayanki has a history of criminal cases, including allegations of gold smuggling and criminal conspiracy. After his arrest, he was produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody for 14 days. Two associates, Jithin and Subhash, were also arrested for aiding Ayanki in evading capture.",
  "summary": "Arjun Ayanki, a former political activist from Kerala, has been apprehended by police after days on the run. He was arrested in Kannur and produced before a magistrate, being remanded in judicial custody for 14 days. Previously, Ayanki was associated with the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the youth wing of the CPI(M), and gained notoriety as an outspoken online supporter. However, his online presence eventually overshadowed his political involvement. In 2021, Ayanki became a central figure in a gold-smuggling case linked to Karipur airport and a subsequent road accident case in Ramanattukara. He also faced allegations of attacks or attempts to intercept individuals linked to smuggling networks. The latest reason for police to look for Ayanki was a case involving threats made against police officers on social media. After his release on bail in May, Ayanki allegedly continued to taunt police on social media, leading to the filing of additional cases against him. The Kerala High Court denied his request for anticipatory bail, further escalating the police search for him.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Hindu",
        "title": "Midnight police search for Arjun Ayanki triggers political row",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/09/midnight-police-search-for-arjun-ayanki-triggers-political-row",
        "published": "2026-08-09T13:18:43.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}