The Aluva East police on Wednesday foiled a dramatic kidnapping attempt in broad daylight and arrested five persons.

The arrested were identified as Vishnu, 26, Naufal, 23, Shanu, 28, Raufel, 24, and Avinash, 34. All of them were from Thodupuzha in Idukki district. They were produced in court and remanded.

Jamal, 40, a resident of Thodupuzha and eighth accused in the case related to the heist of 20 kg of gold from Binanipuram in May last year, was on his way to appear before the police after being granted interim bail following the COVID-19 pandemic when he was kidnapped by the gang in an SUV along ESI Road around 10.40 a.m. However, the police were immediately alerted about the incident and messages were passed over the wireless as teams fanned out across the region on the direction of K. Karthik, District Police Chief (Ernakulam Rural). “A patrolling team intercepted the vehicle just 3 km from the place where he was kidnapped,” said the Aluva police.