Special drive by Thiruvananthapuram rural police unearths loan sharks in capital

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A special drive by the Thiruvananthapuram rural police identified loan sharks as five cases were registered and many documents were seized from different parts of the capital district. The special drive was carried out to control unreasonable high interest rates and curb illegal money lending activities following the orders of Rural SP K S Sudarshan. The drive, carried out on Friday covered multiple police station limits including Kallambalam, Pangode, Palode, Kilimanoor, and Kadakkavur. During the operation, police seized a range of items used by illegal financiers including property documents, currency notes, promissory notes, blank cheques, RC books, stamp papers, and other related materials. In Kallambalam police station limits, three property documents, currency worth Rs 2,50,000 and a contract paper were seized from the house of Sreej, a native of Njekkad. In Pangode police station limits, officers recovered currency totalling Rs 2 lakh and 21,000, two cheques, two revenue-stamp papers, and a transaction record book from the residence of Prabhash from Thengumkodu. In Palode police station limits, police seized Rs 60,000, two stamped papers, one revenue-stamp sheet, and a diary containing details of financial transactions from the house of Sunil Kumar from Kurupuzha. In Kilimanoor, five RC books, 20 blank cheques, and three promissory notes were recovered from the house of Manesh from Malayamadam. At Kadakkavur, five blank cheques, four stamped papers, one promissory note, and one Aadhaar card were seized from the house of Franklin George, a resident of Kadakavur. The police said that the raids are continuing and further action is expected as part of ongoing efforts to bring loan sharks and illegal lenders under strict control. The special drive was conducted in the wake of repeated incidents of harassment by loan sharks.