Kochi: Three more persons were apprehended on Tuesday in connection with alleged bashing up of passengers by staff of 'Suresh Kallada Travels', taking the total number of arrests in the case to seven.
The arrested were identified as Girilal (37), a native of Kollam, Vishnu (27) of Alappuzha, and Kumar (55) of Coimbatore.
"We've arrested all accused involved in the assault as per our probe so far. Whether more persons are involved will be known as and when the investigation progresses," said a police official.
Earlier, the cops arrested four persons, all staff of the agency -- Jithin (25), a native of Kodakara in Thrissur, Jayesh (29) of Pallikkal in Thiruvananthapuram, driver Anwar (38) of Puducherry and Rajesh (26) of Alappuzha.
Anwar, Vishnu and Kumar are drivers, Jithin, Jayesh and Girilal office staff of the company at Vytilla and Rajesh a technician.
They were all booked under Indian Penal Code Section 506 (criminal intimidation), 143 (unlawful assembly), 148 (rioting), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 392 (robbery), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), and 294B (sings, recites or utters any obscene song, ballad or words, in or near any public place).
The accused were produced before the Judicial First Class Magistrate in the evening.
Meanwhile, K R Suresh Kumar, owner of the contract carriage operating company, failed to appear before the investigating officer on Tuesday despite the cops issuing a notice.
The crew of 'Suresh Kallada Travels' allegedly bashed up three passengers and ousted them from the bus when it reached Vytilla around 4.20 am on Sunday.
This after the passengers questioned the inordinate delay from the bus operator in arranging an alternative solution after the bus proceeding to Bangalore from Thriurvananthapuram broke down at Harippad and sought cop's help there.
Another bus was sent but the trio was attacked when the bus reached Vytilla.
