The State capital on Sunday night witnessed the third instance of crime related to gang rivalry within a week.
The City police that came under criticism for their handling of the previous two cases lost no time in bringing to book those responsible for the incident.
Three habitual offenders were arrested by the Kazhakuttam police a few hours after a youth was allegedly abducted and assaulted at a deserted place.
The incident is suspected to be linked to the simmering rivalry between gangs which run protection rackets in the region.
Ratheesh, alias Panchayat Unni, 38, of Chittattumukku, Kaniyapuram; Savio Perreira, 22, of Murukkumpuzha; and Shiyas, 19, of Pallipuram, were arrested in connection with the attack on Raj, alias Unnikuttan, of Thaliyal.
From festival venue
Raj was allegedly accosted and abducted by Ratheesh and Savio while he was attending a temple festival at Menamkulam.
He was taken to a forested area at Pachira on a motorcycle, where the duo was joined by Shiyas and another person in assaulting the victim.
On being alerted about the incident, District Police Chief (Thiruvananthapruam city) Sanjay Kumar Gurudin assembled a shadow police team to nab the accused.
As the police approached, the gang fled the area, following which Raj was hospitalised. Subsequently, the police caught Ratheesh from a hideout at Pothencode, Savio from Murukkumpuzha and Shiyas from Pallipuram.
Efforts were on to apprehend the fourth accused in the case, the police said.