3 held for murder of Kerala woman 15 years back

Police said the woman was killed by her husband and his aides when he discovered she was having an affair

Three people were arrested a day after the Kerala police confirmed that Kala, a woman who was suspected to have gone missing in 2009, was murdered, and her remains were reportedly buried in Mannar, an officer familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

The woman was suspected to have gone missing in 2009 (File photo)

“The arrested persons were identified as Jinu, Soman, and Pramod, who were sent to six days of police custody,” said Rajendran Pillai, circle inspector, Mannar.

The police FIR in the case, accessed by HT, named Anil Kumar, the deceased’s husband, as the primary accused. The other three accused are friends and relatives of the first accused and key accomplices in the crime. Anil is currently employed in Israel, and efforts are underway to bring him back, police said.

The FIR stated that Kala was killed by her husband, Anil, and the other accused in 2009 when they discovered she was having a romantic affair with another man. On the day of the murder, the victim was taken to the Valiyaperumbuzha bridge near Chennithala in Alappuzha district and killed. Her body was then taken in a Maruti car to an unknown spot and buried, police said. The FIR does not provide clear information about the method of killing and the location of the victim’s remains.

The accused have been charged under sections 302 (murder), 201 (destruction of evidence), and 34 (criminal act by multiple persons with common intention) of the Indian penal code (IPC).

Soman, involved in the excavation process, told reporters, “We were able to find a locket and a hair clip from the slush inside the septic tank. There was also a piece of elastic used in women’s clothing. There were some other items which have to be confirmed through forensic analysis.”