Cat trapped atop Kochi Metro pillar rescued amid cheers

A cat trapped between the pillars of the Kochi Metro near Jawaharlal Nehru (JLN) Stadium, Kaloor, was rescued in the early hours of Sunday (February 22) after an operation that had to be stalled on Saturday (February 21) due to practical difficulties.

The Gandhi Nagar Fire and Rescue Services team, assisted by an animal rescue group, brought the cat to safety by 1.30 a.m. The operation resumed at 12.45 a.m. after the metro power supply was shut down at 11 p.m. on Saturday. The animal, which had remained atop the pillars for a few days, was later shifted to a veterinary hospital for medical care.

The cat was brought down amid loud cheers from onlookers, most of them animal lovers.

Fire and Rescue officials had launched the operation on Saturday after being alerted by Kochi Metro staff. The cat was first spotted two weeks ago, and Metro staff had been feeding it. However, their attempts to rescue it failed when the animal escaped into a cavity between the rail and the viaduct.

Although Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) had suspended the power supply for 17 minutes on Saturday afternoon to facilitate the rescue attempt, the cat could not be caught at that time.

The rescue mission has since gone viral on social media, with many naming the cat “Subash”, drawing parallels with the character rescued from the Guna Caves in the blockbuster film Manjummal Boys.