The police on Thursday arrested two more persons, both activists of the Popular Front of India, in connection with the Abhimanyu murder case. With this, the number of arrested in connection with the case has risen to nine.
Those arrested were identified as Anoob of Vennala and Nisar of Karuvelippady. They were accused of helping the squad members who killed the SFI activist escape from the scene. The police recovered a car owned by Nisar, which was used by the assailants to flee the crime scene.
Earlier in the day, the police took into custody two more PFI activists, who reside in the neighbourhood of Muhammad JI, key accused in the case, from Alappuzha. They were identified as Shajahan and Shiras Salim. Salim is the Alappuzha district secretary of the PFI whereas Shajahan is a unit secretary.
The police said Salim was responsible for providing physical training to PFI workers and planning strikes involving them.
The police seized several leaflets, CDs, and laptops having contents promoting communal enmity from their residences and offices.
The police suspect them to be in touch with Muhammad, even after the latter went into hiding . The police are yet to arrest those accused of direct involvement in the clash with the SFI, leading to Abhimanyu’s murder.
The investigators indicated that the group that unleashed violence at the Maharaja’s College comprised around 25 persons, as against the earlier reports of 15 members.
Meanwhile, the Ernakulam Judicial First Class Magistrate Court on Monday extended the judicial custody of Bilal Saji, 19, of Kottayam, Farooq Amani,19, of Pathanamthitta, and Riyaz Hussain, 35, of Palluruthi, who were arrested earlier in the case.