Digital clue helps police solve mysterious death of youth

KOCHI: They initially thought it was an accidental death. But digital evidence which police collected from mobile phone and the bruise marks on the body became crucial in proving the mystery in the death of a Manjapra youth who was found dead on the verandah of a shop on the eve of Thiruvonam day. It would have been written off as an unnatural death had the Perumbavoor police not carried out a scientific inquiry to unravel the mystery.

In the incident which took place on August 20 night, Sumesh, the victim, was found dead in front of a shop at Manjapra market. Local residents thought it was an accident death. However, the murder story unfolded after police launched a scientific probe based on the call history of the mobile phone of the victim recovered from the crime scene. It was found that a five-member gang contacted Sumesh for playing cards on that night. Following a brawl, Saju, the first accused in



the case, pushed down Sumesh and he sustained a severe injury on his head.

Saju, 42, of Oopadan house, Manjapra, was arrested following a manhunt launched by the Kalady police on Wednesday. The five-member gang took him and abandoned near a shop at Manjapra market. However, Sumesh later succumbed to the injuries. Police said that the  cause of death was an injury he sustained on the back of the head. The accused went into hiding after the incident.

Suspecting a foul play, Rural SP K Karthick constituted  a special team for carrying out an investigation. Following the arrest of Saju, two others Sinu, 41, of Sebipuram, and Benny, 52, of Manjalamkuzhi, were also picked up. It is learned that two others, who were part of the five-member gang, Sony and Sibi, were also taken into custody. However, the police did not divulge the details citing that the arrests were not recorded yet.