KOCHI: Police are mulling the theory that 32-year-old Akhil had indeed murdered his friend and colleague Athira after careful planning. The evidence collected thus far seems to prop up this assumption. According to them, the 26-year-old Angamaly native was murdered and her body was dumped in the forest in Athirappilly by Akhil, who is now in police custody.
Police arrived at this conclusion based on a combination of evidence, including Akhil’s insistence that Athira not bring her mobile phone when they both started their journey to Athirappilly in a rented car on April 29. This ensured that their location details would never come under a single tower location.
The accused also brought a set of clothes with him for the journey, and he changed into new clothes immediately after the crime, discarding the ones he wore in the Chalakkudy River. He did this to ensure that there is no proof to pinpoint him, cops said.
Following the murder, Akhil took the 1.5 sovereign gold chain that Athira wore before dumping her body and concealing it, police said. “He convinced Athira not to take her phone while travelling to Athirappilly. This helped him escape from the primary suspect list. If the victim had used the phone, the cops could have found the last active tower location,” said an officer with the probe team.
Akhil had a clear motive to end Athira’s life: Cops
“On that day, we could have prosecuted him as the first accused with the help of tower dumping technology, which helps obtain information on cell phones active around a particular mobile tower. It was crystal clear that Akhil had planned the murder extensively,” the officer said.
The accused is reported to have confessed that he stole the gold chain following the murder and pledged it to a person in Angamaly.
“On the first day of interrogation, he didn’t divulge such details. He said she was killed because he feared the victim would ask for the gold he owed. Since both were in a relationship, it was easier for him to convince and lure her to accompany him to the forest,” the officer added.
Though the police have concluded that the accused has a criminal mind, which is enough to end a person’s life, they are not ready to rule out the possibility of the involvement of more persons. However, the police are not ready to buy Akhil’s entire version. They said the accused had a clear motive to end Athira’s life.