ALAPPUZHA/KOCHI: The police on Thursday took into custody two Popular Front of India (PFI) activists in connection with the murder of Maharaja’s College SFI leader Abhimanyu. The accused identified as Shajahan and Shiras Salim were held from Vaduthala, near Poochackal at Cherthala. Shiras is the district secretary of PFI and Shajahan unit secretary. They are the neighbours of the prime accused, Mohammed.
“We found many documents of Mohammed during a raid on a diagnostic laboratory of Shiras at Vaduthala, including SSLC book, Aadhar card and voters id card. Laptops, CDs, mobiles and books related to the activities of PFI and papers demanding the reconstruction of Babri Masjid and hurting religious sentiments were seized from their homes,” said the police. Their arrest was not recorded.
A police officer said that a preliminary interrogation had established their role in the murder. “Shajahan was planning the crimes for the PFI and Shiras was giving training to their party activists,” he said. Meanwhile in Kochi, the police arrested two PFI workers, Anoob of Vennala and Nisar of Karuvelippady, accused of helping the killer gang escape after the murder. With this, the total number of arrested in the case has gone up to nine.
The cops also recovered a car owned by Nisar, which was used by the assailants to flee the crime scene. The Ernakulam Judicial First Class Magistrate’s Court extended the judicial custody of Bilal Saji, 19, Chirackal, Kangazha, Kottayam, Farooq Amani,19, Kottangal, Pathanamthitta and Riyaz Hussain, 35 of Palluruthi , who were arrested earlier in the case.
