Kochi looks set to earns notoriety as the crime capital of Kerala. Hardly two weeks after the murder of a real estate businessman Imtiaz on December 27, another businessman, M A Shamsudheen, 61, was murdered in the city on Monday night.
He was found dead on the roadside at the Nettoor Vegetable Market Road which is hardly a km from the venue of Pravasi Bhartiya Divas meet, in which Prime Minister Manmohan Singh took part. Shamsudheen of Noor Manzil, Pulleppady, was the owner of King Shoe Mart at Broadway and the manager of a hotel in the city.
The police said Joshy, a resident of Aroor, has been taken into custody in this regard. Joshy, a real estate dealer, was spotted with Shamsudheen 30 minutes before his murder.
The police said he was stabbed with a knife in the stomach and back. “The place where the body was found was earmarked as the parking slot for the vehicles of the delegates of Pravasi Bhartiya Divas function. The body was first spotted by a passerby. It was the local people who alerted the Panangad Police,” said a police personnel.
The body was lying in a pool of blood. A part of the knife that was struck on the victim’s body was recovered by the police along with the mobile phone, purse and sunglasses of the victim. The visiting card of Joshy was also recovered from the spot.
The murder took place between 9 pm and 9 30 pm. Meanwhile, the victim’s relatives said Shamsudheen left the shop at 5 30 p.m. to meet Joshy. According to police, many had seen Shamsudheen with Joshy at Nettoor Road. After the crime, Joshy had fled the scene in Shamsudheen’s car.
Police said Joshy might have killed Shamsudheen following a verbal duel.
Joshy, who had taken money from Shamsudheen, had asked him to come to Nettoor. But, altercation broke out after Joshy failed to pay back the entire amount.
The police are investigation the real estate deals done by Joshy in the past. An investigation is on about the possible link between the murders of Imitiaz and Shamsudheen. His arrest will be recorded by the police on Wednesday.
The body of Shamsudheen has been handed over to the relatives after postmortem examination. Forensic and fingerprint experts along with dog squad combed the area.
The police said patrolling was regular in the area policemen were diverted for security arrangements in view of the VVIP visit.