Latest Kerala Local News: 2021 Anachal murder: Police arrested suspect within 15 hours
Anachal: It was a proud moment for Vellathooval Police in the Idukki district of Kerala when a POCSO fast-track court sentenced Sunilkumar (50) to death the other day for killing a seven-year-old boy before raping his sister.
The murder was committed in the early hours of October 3, 2021 at a house in Amakandam in Anachal and police were able to arrest the accused at 7 p.m. that evening.
The investigation of the case was carried out by Velathooval Police Inspector R Kumar and Deputy Inspectors Saji N Paul, Santhosh and Assistants SI Siby and Jolly under the supervision of Karuppasamy, who had been the Chief of Police of Idukki District, and Deputy Superintendent of Police Emmanuel Paul.
No less than 73 witnesses were questioned and 93 documents and 59 physical evidence were produced in court.
The defense said shortly after the verdict that they would appeal to the High Court against the death sentence.
The heinous crimes
Sunilkumar, who already had a wife and children in Mlamala in Vandiperiyar, left them four years ago and came to Amakandam for masonry work. He then married a young woman in Amakandam. He has now been convicted of attacking the woman’s sister, killing her son and sexually assaulting the girl.
A month before the heinous crime, the accused had a falling out with his wife and moved to a rented house in Ambazhachal. He took an autorickshaw to Anachal on the evening of October 2, 2021. As it was raining, he bought an umbrella from the store and drove at night to the house where he lived with his wife in Amakkandam. No one was staying there. He then went to the house where the woman’s sister and children lived and committed the crime in the early hours of the morning. He had a hammer with him. After learning that the accused had bought an umbrella and rented a rickshaw, the police were able to easily trace him.
Rumors of suicide
The accused had threatened the surviving girl that he would kill himself if she spoke about the atrocity. He also had a bottle of poison with him. For this reason, the police initially suspected that the accused could have committed suicide. But later it turned out that it was just an escape tactic.
After the murder and the assault, the accused walked through the eucalyptus plantation and threw his clothes into the Chenkulam Dam. He then took a bath and wore the clothes he had brought with him. After that, the accused hid in the bushes behind a building under construction in Amakkandam. The police arrested him from there.
Girls’ statements are crucial
The surviving daughter’s statement was crucial to the investigation, said SI Saji N Paul, who was part of the special investigation team that caught Sunilkumar. Neighbors urged the girl to make the statement, the SI recalled.
The dive team recovered the clothes which the Accused had thrown into the Chenkulam Dam. The bloodstains on those clothes also became crucial evidence in the case.
The police also discovered that the defendant planned to kill four people. He attacked them under the lower chin to muffle the sound.
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An Overview of Global Events in 2023
In 2023, the world witnessed a myriad of events that left a lasting impact on global affairs. From political developments and economic shifts to environmental challenges and breakthroughs in science and technology, the year was marked by significant changes and a sense of urgency for collective action. Here’s an overview of some of the latest world news in 2023.
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