In the operation, Gopalakrishnan, a constable attached to Kalamassery police station, sustained serious injuries on his left leg and has been admitted to the Medical Centre Hospital.

Following the raid, two youths who were in the house tried to commit suicide. They have been arrested and are under medical observation. The search was carried out following a tip-off that the house was being used by the liquor lobby in Kerala for distributing spirit to the State's southern regions.

According to police, a team led by Circle Inspector Jamaluddin and sub-inspectors Tomy Sebastian and K M Anto surrounded the two-storeyed house, which was locked from inside. However, before they could enter the house, they noticed a tempo enter the premises.

On seeing the police, the driver tried to escape. Though constable Gopalakrishnan tried to stop the vehicle, it sped away.Gopalakrishnan sustained multiple fractures on his leg after he fell off the vehicle.

Later, the police broke the door and entered the house to find spirit in about 80 cans. On the upper floor, they found two youths, Sunilkumar, 24, and Vinod, 20, in a pool of blood.

The house was being used as a godown for storing spirit, mainly brought from distilleries in Bangalore.

Explaining the modus operandi, the police said the contraband was brought after camouflaging it with vegetables. From here it was taken to Kottayam, Kattappana and Pala. ``The tempo, bearing Malappuram registration, had come for transporting spirit to Kattappana,'' Sebastian said.

The police are on the look out for a person believed to be working as an agent in central Kerala. Search is also on for the kingpin, Krishnakumar. The house was rented out to Krishnakumar by its owner in Mumbai.