Drishyam 2.0: Resort owner kills, buries staffer in farm, elopes with his wife

In yet another incident which brings to mind the crime movie Drishyam, a 31-year-old resort employee was found murdered and buried adjacent to a farmhouse near here on Thursday.

IDUKKI: In yet another incident which brings to mind the crime movie Drishyam, a 31-year-old resort employee was found murdered and buried adjacent to a farmhouse near here on Thursday. Resort manager Vaseem Abdul Khader, 31, from Irinjalakuda, admitted to killing Rijosh in a video clip sent to his brother’s mobile phone which he handed over to the police. Vaseem and Rijosh’s wife Liji are absconding.

Rijosh

The police said Rijosh, an employee at the Mushroom Hut Resort in Kazhuthakkulamedu, went missing on October 31. His family members lodged a complaint with the Santhanpara police a day later. During the preliminary inquiry, Liji convinced the police that Rijosh had contacted her over phone from Thrissur and Kozhikode.

Rijosh’s family members, however, demanded the police to resume probe saying he had never stayed away from home for longer periods. Meanwhile, Vaseem and Liji were reported missing since last Monday and it forced the police to intensify the search.

In the inquiry conducted near Rijosh’s house, the police found Vaseem had called an earth-mover operator to dig a pit near his resort on November 1 “to bury a dead cow in his farm”. The operator told the police the pit, dug near the rainwater harvesting tank was found half-filled with mud later and as per the instruction given by Vaseem, he filled it up. 

Police intensify search for Vaseem, Liji

On exhuming the body, the police noticed there were attempts to burn the body in the pit. After the examination conducted by the police, dog squad and forensic officials, and collection of evidence, Rijosh’s body was taken to the Kottayam Medical College Hospital. The police have intensified the search for Vaseem and Liji, who has also taken her two-and-half-year-old daughter with her. 

The mobile phones of Rijesh and Liji, which are currently switched off, were last found active in the border village of Anavilasam and it makes them think they might have moved to Tamil Nadu. The Santhanpara police, meanwhile, questioned another resort employee, Vaseem’s brother and his friend on Thursday.