KANNUR: Police is groping in the dark about the whereabouts of the man who had gone missing after giving his own obituary to newspapers on Wednesday. Joseph Melukkunnel, 74, a native of Kuttikol near Iritty, has been missing since Thursday after his obit appeared in the Kannur edition of all major vernacular dailies. The obituary that appeared as an advertisement also had a detailed history of his past and his family.
Taliparamba DySP Venugopalan K.V. told this paper that Mr Joseph has switched off his mobile phone soon after vacating the room at Hotel Bombay at Payyannur where he stayed on Wednesday. Mr Joseph had issued the details and photograph for the obituary from the hotel. "When some of the newsmen expressed suspicion about the photo, Mr Joseph reportedly said that he and his brother looked alike," he added. Mr Venugopalan said that the man did not contact any of this relatives and a search is on to locate him. The truth came to light when Mr Joseph's relatives approached the newspaper offices in search of him.
