KOCHI: The mortal remains of Padmam, 52, one of the victims of the Elanthoor twin murders, were handed over to the relatives on Sunday. Padmam’s son Selvaraj, sister Palaniamma and three other relatives received the body at the Kottayam Medical College, where the autopsy was carried out.
Later, the body was taken to her native place at Dharmapuri in Tamil Nadu, where the last rites were performed on Sunday evening. Padmam, a lottery vendor in Kochi, was taken to Elanthoor in Pathanamthitta by prime accused Mohammad Shafi after offering her money.
The twin murders came to light after Selvaraj approached the police with a missing person complaint in September. Following the probe, the police arrested Shafi, Bhagaval Singh and his wife Laila on murder charges.
It took over a month to complete the autopsy and DNA test as the body was in an almost decomposed state. Selvaraj had written to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan twice for receiving his mother’s mortal remains.
Meanwhile, it would take some more time for the relatives to get the body of the other victim, Rosily, 50. “The body of Padmam was released as the DNA test result was out. We are yet to receive the DNA test result of Rosily. We will be filing the chargesheet in the case at the court concerned before the completion of 90 days after the arrest of the accused persons,” a police officer said.