Coimbatore : In a midnight drama, an accused was kidnapped from custody after a gang attacked a police van near Kaniyur toll gate on the outskirts, in which he was being taken to Kerala.

According to police, a special team from Palluruthi police Station in Ernakulam district in Kerala had secured one Maharajan from Sriperumputhur in Tamil Nadu and was being taken in a SUV last night.

When the car reached Kaniyur, some persons on three to four, four-wheelers waylaid the police vehicle and threatened the four-member police team and took away accused Maharajan and escaped towards Salem around 1 am

After informing the higher officials in Kerala, the police lodged a complaint at Karumathampatti police near here and 2.30 am

Palakkad DSP Vijayakumar from Kerala arrived along with the team to investigate the matter and are verifying the CCTV footage.

Financial dealings are said to be behind the incident and further investigations are on to ascertain whether it is a kidnap or escape, they said.