Kochi: Seven held for murder of youth at Palachuvadu
KOCHI: Kochi City Police have arrested seven persons in connection with the murder of a youth at Palachuvadu. Officers used cyber and circumstantial evidence to crack the case. The investigation team has identified 14 accused. Those arrested are Manaf, Ali, 40, K E Salam, 48, Muhammed Faizal, 23, KK Sirajudeen, 49, KI Yousuf, 42, and Ajaz, 31, - all either relatives or neighbours in Vazhakkala. “The police are on the hunt for the remaining seven accused. The key accused Azeez and his son-in-law Anees are among those on run,” said City Police Commissioner S Surendran.
The body of Jibin Varghese, 33, of Chakkaraparambu, was found on the wayside of Vennala-Palachuvadu Road last Saturday around 4 am. He was seen lying near his upturned scooter and, initially, the police thought it to be a hit-and-run case. However, an investigation carried out by a team led by Thrikkakara ACP Stuart Keeler and SI K P Manish found it to be a murder as there were no accident injuries on the body or any signs of a mishap at the spot.
A further probe revealed the victim was beaten to death following a feud between him and Azeez’s family. It also emerged that Azeez and Anees, who came from Dubai, were behind in the moves to bring the victim to their residence at midnight.
The body was then dumped along a secluded stretch on the Vennala-Palachuvadu Road and the scooter was also abandoned nearby to make it look like an accident. The police also received information that the victim had gone to Azeez’s house on his scooter around 12.30 am on Saturday.
“A comprehensive investigation helped us crack the case within hours. We had constituted 20 teams for investigation. The two mobile phones used by the victim are also being examined,” said Surendran. The police have registered a case under sections 302, 323, 324, 201 and 34 of IPC for murder, causing hurt and destruction of evidence. The accused were produced before the court on Monday and remanded to judicial custody.