IDUKKI: The suspected double murder in Nedumkandam has taken a crucial turn with the arrest of Saji (43), the absconding brother of Reji, who was earlier under police suspicion.
Saji was taken into custody from a hillside behind his house at Thottuvakkada following an intensive search operation involving drones and police personnel.
According to officials, he was traced during aerial surveillance carried out as part of the expanded search operation. Police had also alerted border checkposts and shared his details with Tamil Nadu Police, suspecting a possible attempt to flee the state.
Local residents claimed that Saji had surrendered voluntarily, reportedly admitting to them that he had “made a mistake” before being handed over to the police. Police sources, however, said his exact role in the suspected murder will be established only after detailed interrogation.
Saji had been missing when police first inspected the house compound at Pachadi, where the bodies of 70-year-old Marykutty and her son Reji were later exhumed from a freshly filled pit. His disappearance had intensified suspicion and prompted a widespread manhunt.
The bodies, which were shifted to Idukki Medical College Hospital, will be handed over to relatives after postmortem examination. Officials said forensic findings and questioning of the accused are expected to provide clarity on the cause of death and confirm whether it was a case of double homicide.
Police indicated that more details regarding the motive, the possible sequence of events, and whether Saji acted alone will emerge in the coming days as the probe progresses.
Meanwhile, the case continues to draw public attention, with earlier allegations of delay in police response still under scrutiny.