A new team of the Crime Branch of the Kerala Police will investigate the murder of Muslim Youth League worker Paral Mansoor at Koothuparamba on the Assembly poll day, State Police Chief Loknath Behera said on Saturday.
The investigation will be carried out under the supervision of Inspector General of Police (Crime Branch, Ernakulam) Gopesh Agarwal. Since Mr. Agarwal is currently on election duty outside the State, IG (Crime Branch, Thiruvananthapuram) G. Sparjan Kumar will coordinate the probe until his return. Deputy Superintendent of Police P. Vikraman will investigate the case.
A 15-member district Crime Branch squad has been looking into the case hitherto. The United Democratic Front (UDF) had alleged that the district squad members were CPI(M) supporters and sought a special investigation team led by an IPS officer.
Meanwhile, the Thalassery police arrested three more accused in the murder case. The police said Othayoth Aneesh, a Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] activist from Kochiyangadi, fourth accused Sreerag, and seventh accused Ashwanth, were directly involved in the murder and were absconding.
The police had earlier arrested Shinos, the neighbour of Mansoor.
Shinos was caught by local people and handed over to the police soon after the crime.
The second accused in the case, Ratheesh Kuloth, was found hanging from a tree at Kalikulambil in Kozhikode on Friday.
The First Information Report mentions Shinos, Ratheesh, Sangeeth, Sreerag, Sajeevan, Suhail, Ashwanth, Shashi, Sumesh, Jabir, and Nazir as the 11 accused in the case. Shashi is the CPI(M) Kochiyangadi branch secretary, Jabir is a CPI(M) local committee member, and Suhail is the Democratic Youth Federation of India Panoor unit treasurer.
CCTV footage
The CCTV footage of the clash in front of Mansoor’s house is out. Sources said local people got hold of the visuals from a camera installed in the vicinity.
Earlier in the day, Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala and Indian Union Muslim League leader P.K. Kunhalikutty met the family of Mansoor.
They later participated in a protest rally organised in Panoor. Mr. Kunhalikutty said the Indian Union Muslim League would go to any extent to ensure that Mansoor’s family gets justice.
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) working president K. Sudhakaran said he suspected that Ratheesh, found hanging in Kozhikode, could have been killed.
“He could have been killed out of fear that he would reveal the names of CPI(M) leaders and others involved,” he added.