Gang rivalry in Kollam: Eight arrested in ‘Aluva’ Athul murder case

Murder was a retaliatory act aimed at avenging the death of a local gym owner named Santhosh, also known as Gym Santhosh

The Kollam police have arrested eight individuals in connection with the brutal daylight murder of notorious criminal Athul (known as Aluva Athul) at Puthiyakavu in Karunagapally in the district on Saturday (March 14, 2026).

According to officials, six of the suspects were apprehended within twelve hours of the crime, while two others were taken into custody for conspiracy, providing transportation, and harboring the attackers. The police identified four of the key accused as Noufal, Faisal, Shinil Peter, and Shamnad, while the identities of the remaining suspects are currently being processed.

The investigation revealed that the murder was a retaliatory act aimed at avenging the death of a local gym owner named Santhosh, also known as Gym Santhosh. Athul had been the prime accused in the March 2025 killing of Santosh, who was hacked to death inside his home. Following Santosh’s murder, a cycle of gang-related violence had been brewing in the region, ultimately leading to this weekend’s fatal ambush.

On the day of the incident, Athul was traveling along the Karunagapally–Alappuzha National Highway after visiting a police station to fulfill his mandatory bail conditions. The attackers, traveling in an Innova car, intentionally rammed Athul’s car, forcing it off the road into a construction zone. Once the vehicle was immobilised, the gang, armed with machetes and iron rods, smashed the car windows and launched a violent assault. Athul was hacked multiple times as he attempted to exit the vehicle, while his friend Manu, who was also in the car, sustained serious injuries during the struggle.