KASARGOD: The murder of Youth Congress workers Sarath Lal P K and Kripesh was evidently savage, but the Crime Branch investigation reveals the treachery was diabolic. On Saturday, the newly formed Crime Branch team made its second arrest — Ranjith P alias Appu, a 24-year-old painter from Kanoth in Kalliyot near Periya.
In a statement, Crime Branch DySP V M Pradeep Kumar said Ranjith allegedly tipped off the whereabouts of Sarath Lal and Kripesh to the killers on the fateful night. “He told the killers, who were waiting, that the two were on the way,” he said.
Ranjith and Kripesh were thick friends, though they were supporters of different political parties, said their common friends.
“Though Ranjith is a CPM supporter, he hung around with us and was never involved in any mischief before,” said Deepak (name changed), a common friend. Ranjith and Deepak did their Plus Two together at Government Higher Secondary School, Kalliyot. Sarath Lal and Ranjith did their schooling together and were classmates in the same school.
On February 17, the fateful day, Ranjith hung around with Kripesh and Sarath Lal and others since morning and hand lunch together, said Krishnan (name changed), another common friend. “Later in the evening when we were sitting at a tea shop, Ranjith went past us on his motorcycle three times. As it was Ranjith, we did not suspect anything,” he said.
But after the double murder, he went into hiding, they said. “We thought several CPM supporters had gone into hiding and he too might have gone underground fearing police action,” said Deepak. “But on Saturday, we heard the Crime Branch arrested Ranjith. It was shocking,” he said.
Kripesh and Ranjith were not only thick friends but from the same community. In December, the two did a fire ritual together as part of the observation of ‘pottan theyyam’. The friends showed a photograph of Ranjith he shared on Facebook.
Kripesh, known as Kichu, has commented on under photograph: “Appu etta polichu”. Kripesh called Ranjith, ‘etta’ (elder brother). The comment can be loosely translated as “Awesome bro”. “We are still in disbelief. He could have just warned Kripesh if he could not stand up for him,” said Deepak.
A couple of days ago, the Crime Branch had arrested A Murali, 36, a driver, in connection with the crime. He is accused of ferrying out the hit team after the two were killed on the night of February 17. Murali is the driver of ‘Sastha’ Gangadharan, a quarry owner and contractor. Sarath Lal’s father Sathyanarayanan had named Gangadharan as a suspect.
Police had already arrested Gangadharan’s son Gijin in the case. Interestingly, Gangadharan and Sathyanarayanan are also childhood friends.