KOCHI: An accused who had been on the run for about two years in the sensational Abhimanyu murder case surrendered before the Ernakulam Judicial First Class Magistrate Court on Thursday. Sahal Hamsa, 21, a native of Nettur and leader of Campus Front of India (CFI), the student’s wing of SDPI, surrendered before the court, which remanded him to judicial custody, said police.
With this arrest, the investigation team said that all the 16 accused in the case have been arrested. As per the charge sheet, Sahal stabbed Abhimanyu during a clash between SFI and Campus Front of India members on the Maharaja’s College campus following a dispute over graffiti in 2018.
According to the police, Sahal arrived in court along with his lawyer and surrendered by 12 noon. “Sahal had been staying at a hideout in Karnataka after the incident. He was sent to a first line COVID-19 testing centre at Angamaly and will be sent to jail later if he tests negative,” said a police officer.
Earlier, Mohammed Shahim, 31, of Panavalli, Cherthala, who had been on the run for about a year after the incident, surrendered before the court in November last year.
According to the police, Mohammed Shahim stabbed Arjun, the friend of Abhimanyu, during the clash at Maharaja’s College. A Special Investigation Team headed by Police Control Room Assistant Commissioner S T Suresh Kumar is probing the case. The murder of SFI leader M Abhimanyu at Maharaja’s College in Kochi which shook the conscience of Kerala society had hit the headlines with the kin of the deceased alleging lapses in the inquiry. A few accused surrendered before the court in various stages of the trial, which commenced last year.
Abhimanyu, a degree student, was stabbed to death while another student, Arjun, sustained severe injuries during a clash between SFI and Campus Front of India (CFI) members on the Maharaja’s College campus on July 2, 2018. A 16-member gang comprising CFI, SDPI and Popular Front of India (PFI) activists armed with deadly weapons had allegedly gathered near the campus with the intention of eliminating SFI leaders.
The case was registered at the Central police station under Sections 142, 148, 323, 324, 307 and 302 read with 149 of the IPC. The Special Investigation Team submitted a charge sheet before the Ernakulam Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-II on September 24, 2018 naming 16 people.