Kerala - Kochi   

Three arrested on charges of murdering autorickshaw driver

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: The police have arrested three persons, including two autorickshaw drivers, on charges of murdering Krishnan, an autorickshaw driver.

Those arrested are Nishad and Chackochi Jaleel of Aluva East and Basheer of Kannur. The first two are autorickshaw drivers and the other is a mason.

The body of Krishnan, who had been driving autorickshaw from Bolgatty Jetty, was found near HMT campus at Kalamassery on October 28.

The police said the accused hired Krishnan's vehicle the previous day on the pretext of inviting people for marriage of one among them. They reached the site of the crime by 9.30 p.m. Basheer tried to kill Krishnan using a plastic rope from behind, while the other two held the victim down.

Assuming that he was dead, the accused left the body in undergrowth about 25 metres away from the site and left with the autorickshaw, his purse, mobile phone, watch and other things. However, they returned to the site realising that they had lost the purse . On reaching the spot, they found the victim breathing. Basheer tried to smash the victim's head using a boulder while the other two ensured that the victim was choked to death.

The police got a clue about the accused from a conversation the victim had with his brother on October 27. Thus, the police put Nishad, who was operating from the same autorickshaw stand as Krishnan was, under surveillance.

The officials tracking the suspects overheard Nishad and Basheer discussing about the incident at a bar near the Aluva Railway Station. Nishad was at the forefront of the protest march held by trade unions demanding arrest of accused in the case.

The police arrested the three from Aluva on Thursday. The stolen autorickshaw and the mobile phone of Krishnan were recovered from the accused.

They were arrested by a squad formed by P. Vijayan, City Police Commissioner and included Sethuraman, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Thrikakkara); P.M. Varghese, Assistant Commissioner of Police (District Special Branch); and Circle Inspectors Bijo Alexander and Jijimon.

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