Kanjirapally: At 11 am yesterday, police vehicles from various places flew to Pettakavala, the main junction of the city. Within seconds, Pettahkavala was surrounded by police. Even people who do not know what matters. Then people anxiously for about an hour. The DySP later revealed the matter. The incident took place during a mock trial to test how soon the police force under the subdivision could reach the spot if there was a law and order problem in the town.
All ready
The mock drill was held in Kanjirapally yesterday without even informing the police in advance. Mockdrill was a project known only to Kanjirapally DySP N. Babukuttan and Kanjirapally SHO Rijo P. Joseph on the instructions of the DIG and the District Police Chief. The message given to the nearby police stations was that there was a clash between the two groups at Pettakavala in Kanjirapally and the culprits were passing by in vehicles and would reach the spot as soon as possible. Soon the SHOs at the station set off without wasting any time with warm-ups including lathi and guns. It was only after everyone reached Kanjirapally that they realized that the matter was in Mokdril.
The police flew away
Within 3 minutes of receiving the wireless message from the DYSP, the Kanjirapally SI and his team reached Pettakavala. Within four minutes, the SHO and team arrived. The DySP also reached Pettah in 8 minutes. Mundakkayam police were the first to arrive from nearby stations. Within 20 minutes, the SHO-led team arrived in a Gorkha vehicle at Mundakayam station.
Erumeli police also reached the spot within 30 minutes. When the next jeep at Mundakkayam station reached the rock, it was directed to check the vehicle there. People from other stations reached the points within minutes as per the instructions of the DySP.
Rumors
Rumors spread as soon as they saw a large police presence in Pettah. Many speculated that the police arrived following a tip-off that something was going on. In Kanjirapally, there were rumors circulating through phones and social media that a VVIP was coming and that there was a possibility of a missile falling.