Kochi: Muhammad Marsalim Ansari, arrested in connection with the attempt to rob ATMs in and around Kochi, told the police team that he killed his aide Muhammad Imran on the apprehension that he would reveal the theft attempts to police. Mr. Ansari, a native of Uttar Pradesh has also told that the duo has made attempts to steal seven ATMs in and around the city in the past few years. The two reached the state in 2013 and has been staying in the city for the past two years.
Although Ansari confessed of killing Imran the cops are not taking his account on the face-value. According to Ansari, he killed his partner Imran as the later kept on insisting on surrendering to the police. “There are several loopholes in this story”, officials said. Mr. Ansari got scared when visuals of their attempt to steal an ATM at Vazhakkala near Kakkanad were recovered from the CCTV cameras installed in the ATM and the same appeared in the media.
There was an argument in this regard with Imran On Tuesday afternoon and that led to the murder. The argument led to a fight and Ansari took out a knife and slit Imran’s neck after stabbing him. The accused was planning to dump the body in the backwaters of Kochi and escape from the city on Wednesday night. The duo has unsuccessfully tried to break seven ATM machines and loot the money in the city.
The ATMs targeted included those coming under the Edapplly, Palarivattom, North and Central police station limits, officials said. Mr. Ansari was arrested on Wednesday and that led to the revelation that he had murdered his accomplice Imran. The body of Imran was kept in a sack the room shared by the two in a lodge in Kakkanad. The probe team on Thursday presented the accused in the judicial first class magistrate court at Kunnupuram.
