THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Shobha John, an accused in the infamous Sabarimala Thantri abduction case, was arrested by the Thiruvananthapuram City Police on Friday in connection with the murder of notorious gangster Vineesh alias Althara Vineesh.
A police team led by Cantonment Assistant Commissioner S.Gopakumar arrested Shobha John from Vanchiyoor while she came to meet a lawyer. She was later shifted to the Vanitha police station. She is suspected to have taken part in the conspiracy to murder Vineesh.
The arrest of four persons who were earlier held in connection with the case was recorded on Friday. They were identified as Anilkumar alias Kepa Ani of Poojapura and his associates Chandrababu and Rateesh and another gangster in the city Rajan alias Pookada Rajan of Maruthankuzhi. Two more persons accused in the case were also learnt to be in police custody.
Police said that murder of Vineesh was jointly executed by the gangs led by Kepa Ani and Pookada Rajan to avenge the murder of their brothers.
Vineesh was the accused in the murder of Ani’s brother Thambam Sreekumar at a bar hotel near Sasthamangalam here and of Rajan’s brother Santosh at Maruthankuzhi by mistaking him for someone else. Shobha John, who had close links with the accused, had provided all facilities including vehicle to the gang to execute the murder and had also taken part in the conspiracy.