4 held for murder of dalit youth

Thiruvananthapuram: Pothencode police recorded the arrest of four men in connection with the alleged murder of dalit youth, Vinayabose alias Bichu (38), of Kattayikonam, on Wednesday.
The police identified the accused as Sarath (27), Ajayakumar alias Unni (30) Sabu (29) and Sarath alias Sachu (21). The police said that the accused were taken into custody from their hideout at Attingal on Tuesday late night.

The incident related to the crime took place on last Thursday midnight at Mangattukonam Junction. Vinayabose, a labourer, who was severely injured following the assault, succumbed to injuries on Monday while under treatment.

Pothencode station house officer inspector S Shaji said that the alleged murder was the result of a drunken brawl between the accused and the victim.

“All the accused as well as the victim were reportedly in inebriated condition when the brawl broke out,” said the inspector. The accused told the police that Vinayabose allegedly verbally abused them, which provoked the accused and they started to assault him. Vinayabose fell down in the melee face down. The accused tried to lift him, but Vinayabose resisted. Infuriated, the accused held his head and smashed it repeatedly against the tarred road, inflicting serious injuries.

When the neighbours rushed to the spot hearing the commotion, the accused fled. They kept changing their hideouts while on the run. They stayed at Kanyakumari, Kaliyikkavila, Neyyatinkara and Vizhinjam before reaching Attingal.

Inspector Shaji also said that the since the victim belonged to scheduled caste, the police have invoked sections of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Atrocities (Prevention) Act in the case. Hence, Attingal deputy superintendent of police will take over further investigation.