45-year-old woman allegedly murdered in Kerala's Idukki; police to issue lookout notice for lover

Sindhu, a mother of two, who is separated from her husband, has been in a relationship with her neighbour Binoy, 48, who is now absconding.
Image used for representational purpose only
Image used for representational purpose only

IDUKKI: The police have decided to issue a lookout notice against a 48-year-old man who went absconding after murdering a 45-year-old woman at Panickankudy and burying her body in the kitchen of his house three weeks ago.

The police, under the leadership of Idukki SP Karuppasamy R, have also formed special investigation teams (SITs) to be guided by Idukki DySP Emmanual Paul to nab Binoy of Manikkunnel house for the murder of Sindhu Babu of Thamadathil house, with whom he was in a relationship.

It is suspected the accused has fled to Tamil Nadu, as the cyber cell found that his number had last been active in the neighbouring state. Sindhu had been staying with her younger son Akhil, 13, in a rented house at Panickankudy, after leaving her husband Babu. Babu was diagnosed with cancer recently and had sought treatment at Kottayam Medical College Hospital. Sindhu had gone to see him there and also met him when he came to Panickankudy. 

It is learnt Binoy, who was also her neighbour, was infuriated by Sindhu’s sympathy towards Babu. On August 11, a day before the crime, Binoy and Sindhu got into an argument and Sindhu sent Akhil to the house of one of Binoy’s relatives. When Akhil came back the next day, he could not find his mother. When he asked Binoy, the latter told him she had gone to cut grass.

However, Akhil and Sindhu’s mother grew suspicious and the latter filed a police complaint on August 15.  When the police called Binoy to appear for questioning on August 16, he went absconding. The crime came to light when Sindhu’s brothers searched Binoy’s house on Friday and found a newly-built fireplace in his kitchen. When they dug it up, Sindhu’s fingers became visible. The police dug the 4-ft pit after demolishing the kitchen walls on Saturday. 

Sindhu’s body was found naked and in a sitting posture. Binoy had filled the pit with chillies to prevent sniffer dogs from getting the smell of the body. He also plastered the pit using cow dung and spread nutmeg husks atop the newly-built fireplace.

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The New Indian Express
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