KOCHI: In a major breakthrough in the sensational Nettoor murder in which 20-year-old Fahad Hussain, was killed in a deadly fight between two gangs, three key accused who had been on the run for about two weeks, landed in police net, on Saturday.Nivya T S aka Sruthi, 26, a woman drug dealer of Panangad, her friend Janson Jose, 24, a native of Adimali, and Vishnu M Surendran, 22, who is also a native of Adimali, were the arrested, said police.
The series of events that culminated in the clash which subsequently led to the murder were set in motion when Nivya alias Sruthi, who was reportedly a known drug dealer and was arrested with 3.5 kg of ganja in her possession on July 24, was released on bail on September 9. She is the second accused in the case.Her friend, Janson, with whom she was said to be having an affair, reached the Viyyur Central Prison where she had been lodged to pick her up.
Though another friend of the woman, Praveen, a Nettoor native, who also tried to release her on bail, reached the jail later to pick her up, he had to return without her as she had gone with Janson. Upset with their affair, Praveen informed the woman’s ex-husband, Akhildas, about the matter. Earlier, Akhildas, during his trip to Munnar last month, met Janson and the duo were involved in a scuffle over Janson’s affair with Sruthi.
Subsequently, a gang led by Praveen and Akhildas reached the woman’s house at Nettoor looking for Janson. However, he managed to escape. Provoked by this, the gang damaged Janson’s car, which was parked in front of the house and took away two mobile phones. Roshan Charly, who was arrested earlier in the case, was deputed by Janson and others to hold talks with the gang to return the mobile phones in their possession. Later, a gang under Roshan reached the crematorium at Nettoor and hatched a plan to attack the rival gang. When the gang members of Praveen arrived at the spot around 7.45 pm on September 13, the others launched an attack on them.
That was when Fahad accidentally arrived at the spot on a motorcycle with his friend. Though one of the gang members attempted to stab him on the chest, Fahad blocked the attack, injuring his hand in the process. He was rushed to a hospital and later shifted to a private hospital at Nettoor where he succumbed to his injuries on the September 14.
According to police, the rivalry between the gangs over drug peddling led to the clash and subsequently to the murder, “A total of 22 accused were involved in the case. Of these, 19 have been arrested so far,” said A Ananthalal, Inspector, Panangad police. The accused were remanded in judicial custody.