ALAPPUZHA: The body of Manu, 28, who was missing since August 19, was found from a sand bed on Galilee beach in Punnapra on Saturday. Five persons have been taken into custody in connection with the murder.
Alappuzha DSP PV Baby said Manu and the arrested persons were involved in several criminal cases. "Gang rivalry was behind the murder. Two of the accused, Omanakuttan and Vipin, told police they manhandled Manu, as they were leaving the bar. They then re-entered it to fetch a beer bottle to further attack Manu, who was on his way inside the bar. When the duo returned with two others, they saw Manu was speaking on his mobile phone. Assuming he was alerting his gang members, the accused persons beat him with beer bottles and bricks. They then took him to Galilee Beach where Pathrose, another accused, informed other members, who arrived to further attack Manu. He was then killed and buried at the beach," DSP said.
However, police officials said the accused tried to mislead the investigation team by telling them they had dumped Manu’s body into the sea after tying it with a granite rubble. It was only after a thorough investigation, they revealed the body was buried in the sand bed at the beach. The body was shifted to the Medical College mortuary for postmortem,” Punnapra SI S Sivaprasad said.
The case came to light after Manu’s father Manoharan lodged a complaint with the police after Manu went missing since August 19.
The police arrested John (Appappan Pathrose (28), of Thaiparambil, Punnapra and Simon Michael (Saneesh), 29, of Vadakkethayyil, Punnapra, based on CCTV visuals and statements by a few people.Based on statements of the first arrested, police took Joseph (Omanakuttan), 19, of Kakkariyil house, Punnapra, Antony Xavier (Vipin), 28, of Pananchikkal house, Punnapara and John Paul, 27, of Punnapra into custody on Saturday.