KOCHI: The police team probing the suicide of a 55-year-old person, following an attack on his house, recorded the arrest of 10 persons on Saturday. The arrested have been identified as T V Vinu, 28; S G Vinu, 25; Sharath, 22; Sreekuttan, 31; Sudhi, 26; M S Vinu, 28; Sajith, 25; Sreejith, 26; Gopan, 34; and Nidhin, 25.

Two of them were held within a couple of hours of the incident on Friday evening, while the rest landed in police custody late on Saturday. The accused have been booked under various provisions of the Arms Act and on charges of rioting and breaking into a house.

The accused have been subjected to a detailed interrogation and are slated to be produced before a magistrate on Sunday morning. Preliminary investigation by the police attributed the episode to enmity between two rival gangs. The sleuths are on the lookout for four more persons in connection with the incident.

The body of Vasudevan, a native of Varappuzha, was found hanging in his house, after a gang broke into his house and assaulted the members of his family. He might have committed suicide due to the shock, but more investigation was required to confirm it, said officials.

On Thursday, Divakaran, Vasudevan’s younger brother, had picked up an altercation with Sumesh, a local resident. A day later, Divakaran along with Vineesh, the son of the deceased, clashed with Sumesh once again.

In retaliation, a gang led by Sumesh broke into Vasudevan’s house on Friday afternoon and attacked Vasudevan and his family members. After the assailants left the scene, Vasudevan allegedly committed suicide, when his wife and son went to the police station to lodge a complaint. The CPI (M) observed a hartal in the region in protest against the incident. They alleged that the assailants were members of the RSS.