Koodathayi murders: Crime Branch files five more cases

Jollyamma is the prime accused in all newly registered cases; another poison, not cyanide, was used in Annamma’s murder

File photo of police exhuming bodies of the family members who died under mysterious circumstance, from their graves at Koodathayi. (Photo | EPS)

KOZHIKODE: The District Crime Branch (DCB) on Friday registered five more murder cases in connection with the sensational serial killings at Koodathayi. Jollyamma Thomas, alias Jolly, 47, mastermind of the crime series, is the prime accused in the newly registered cases as well, while her partners in crime M S Mathew, alias Shaji, 44, and Preji Kumar P, 48, have been charged in four and three cases, respectively.   

In the murder of 56-year-old Annamma Thomas, mother-in-law of the prime accused, police booked Jollyamma alone. In the case registered at the Kodenchery station, the police suspect Jollyamma killed the woman by giving food laced with poison.The police are yet to ascertain the toxin used for the crime. Annamma, a retired schoolteacher, collapsed and died in 2002 after having a bowl of soup.

The FIR in the death of Tom Thomas in 2008 was also registered at the Kodenchery station. Jolly was booked along with Mathew and Preji. As per the FIR, Jolly killed her father-in-law by giving him cyanide-mixed food with the support of the second and third accused. Preji gave the poison to Mathew who handed it over to Jolly.    

Yet another case was registered in connection with the death of Annamma’s brother Mathew Manjadiyil - fourth in the crime series - that happened in 2014. The trio was booked for the same criminal activity.
Mathew also died after consuming cyanide. The case was registered at the Kodenchery station.  
In the alleged murder of 20-month-old Alfin, daughter of Sily and Shaju, the FIR mentions Jolly, Mathew and Preji as the first, second and third accused, respectively.

(1) Police taking prime accused Jollyamma to deceased Roy Thomas’ house Ponnamattam at Koodathayi near Thamarassery in Kozhikode for evidence collection
(2) Second accused M S Mathew being taken to Roy’s house
(3) People gathered in front of the house | T P Sooraj

As per the FIR, Jolly killed the child using cyanide given by the co-accused. The FIR was registered at the Kodenchery station.The lone case registered at the Thamarassery station is that of the mysterious death of Sily, ex-wife of Jolly’s husband Shaju.

The probe team registered a murder case against Jolly and her co-accused Mathew. Cops suspect Mathew given cyanide to the prime accused for killing the woman. Sily died at a private hospital at Thamarassery in 2016.

The police suspect Sily died after consuming a cyanide-coated tablet provided by Jolly. The probe team is yet to reach a conclusion in the possible involvement of any other person in the crime. All the cases will be investigated by separate probe teams under the supervision of North Zone IG Ashok Yadav.

Crime file

Jolly is the prime accused in the newly-registered cases as well, while her partners in crime M S Mathew and Preji Kumar P have been charged in four and three cases, respectively.   
In the murder of Annamma Thomas, the police booked Jollyamma alone.
Jolly was booked along with Mathew and Preji in the death of Tom Thomas, Mathew Manjadiyil and 20-month-old Alfin
Probe team registered a murder case against Jolly and her co-accused Mathew in the mysterious death of Sily, ex-wife of Jolly’s husband Shaju