Dhinesh Kallungal By

KOCHI: Perumbavoor and its adjoining regions in the Ernakulam rural limit, which has the largest concentration of migrant labourers in the state, has earned for itself a prominent place in the crime map of Kerala.

As many as 38 murders were reported from the area in the last five years and out of them at least 32 are linked directly or indirectly to migrant population there. According to the District Crime Records Bureau, around 323 cases related to migrant labour, including murders, murder attempts and thefts were registered in the Ernakulam rural over the five-year period. A total of 96 murders took place in the rural limit during the period from 2011 to 2015. Arrests were made in 13 murder cases linked to migrant labourers.

Speaking to Express, Ernakulam Rural SP G H Yathish Chandra said the police have issued strict direction to labour contractors and company owners to keep a detailed list of the migrant labourers working with the company or staying in the labour camps. They have also been asked to register their names with the police station in the area. But this alone could not check the rise in crime rate. The accused often flee the state after the crime and bringing them back from remote villages is a cumbersome task.

Soaring Crime

38 Number of murders reported from Perumbavoor, adjoining areas in the last five years

32 Number of murders with links to migrant labourers

323 Number of crimes related to migrant labour in last 5 years

96 Number of murders reported from Ernakulam rural from 2011 to 2015