The Thiruvananthapuram Rural police on Thursday nabbed a key accused in the Venjaramoodu twin-murder case, even as the collection of evidence gained momentum.
Madapuram Unni alias Biju, the fourth accused in the murder of DYFI workers Haq Mohammed and Mithilaj at Thembamoodu, who allegedly had direct role in the murder, was apprehended by the police from a hideout at Madapuram, near Vembayam, by around 9 p.m. With this, the number of people caught in the case has gone up to eight. The second accused, Ansar, who also had purportedly taken part in the murder, remained on the run.
The police are currently probing the alleged conspiracy to ascertain if more people were involved in the crime. The call detail records (CDR) of the accused were being scrutinised as part of the ongoing efforts.
Meanwhile, political tension continued to simmer in the aftermath of the incident. Nine activists of the DYFI and Youth Congress were arrested by the Fort police after a clash that occurred at the Karimadom colony late on Wednesday. While the incident was triggered by a few Youth Congress workers rebuking a DYFI activist for rash driving an autorickshaw within the colony, it later turned into a full-blown confrontation against the backdrop of the Venjaramoodu murders. An assistant sub-inspector who was part of the police team that rushed to the scene also suffered injury.
Accusing the Congress of unleashing violence, the CPI(M) demanded a probe into the alleged role of Attingal MP, Adoor Prakash, in the twin murder case. Party district secretary Anavoor Nagappan, who raised the demand at a press conference, said the deceased, who were reportedly seen in CCTV visuals to have been wielding sharp weapons, could have done so for self-defence and out of fear for their safety, considering there had been similar attacks on DYFI workers in the region in the recent past.
CPI(M) State secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and Health Minister K.K. Shylaja visited the houses of the deceased.
On the other hand, the Congress maintained that the incident was not one spurred by political animosity. Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala, KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran and former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who protested against the attack on party offices, alleged that the police shielded the perpetrators who were involved in such incidents of vandalism.
While the Congress accused the District Police Chief (Thiruvananthapuram Rural) B. Asokan of partisanship while leading the investigation, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said during his briefing that no complaints had been received in this regard.
