KOCHI: The police probing the recovery of the skeletal remains of a woman from a abandoned barrel at Kumbalam are now looking into the suspected role of the victim’s daughter in the murder.The police have served a notice summoning Aswathy Damodaran, daughter of the deceased K S Shakunthala, 54, for a detailed interrogation. The move came after the police identified the perpetrators of the crime.The officers said they will move the court seeking permission for a polygraph.
“A polygraph is required to clarify a few more aspects and cross check the contradictions in the daughter’s earlier statement,” said the officers. A police team comprising top officers with the Kochi City police had grilled the daughter for several hours.The investigators are currently verifying reports the relationship between Shakunthala and Aswathy had turned sour following a financial dispute. “Aswathy used to quarrel with Shakunthala seeking a share of the money she received as insurance claim and from the sale of properties she owned,” the officers said.
The officers said Shakunthala was murdered by T M Sajith, an Eroor native who was Aswathy’s paramour. He was found dead barely 24 hours after the barrel stuffed with the skeletal remains was recovered on January 8. The investigators are also examining the reasons behind Aswathy and Sajith vacating their earlier residence at Eruveli a few days after the murder. The police secured a major breakthrough after recovering a 6.5 cm malleolar screw from the skeleton.