Kerala - Kollam   

Fresh efforts to nab murder suspects

KOLLAM: The Kollam Crime Branch-CID have launched fresh efforts to nab three persons accused in two murder cases in the district.

T. James, Superintendent of Police, Kollam Crime Branch-CID, told The Hindu that the investigations pertained to the murder of constable Chandran on March 7, 1996 and Ranjini and her 16-day-old twins at Anchal on February 10, 2005.

Mr. James said the accused in the first case was Jacob Ponnachan alias Puttu Kunjumon. In the Ranjini murder case, the suspects were Divil Kumar and Rajesh Kumar who have been proclaimed “Indian Army deserters.” Both were soldiers who deserted the Army after allegedly killing Ranjini and her twin children, according to police records.

Mr. James said two police teams had been constituted to nab the accused.

The team to nab Puttu Kunjumon is led by Detective Inspector S. Shihabuddin and comprises a Sub-Inspector and five constables.

Detective Inspector A. Abdul Salam heads the team probing the Ranjini murder case. The teams are pursuing leads within the State and outside.

Puttu Kunjumon who was wanted in connection with several criminal cases was taken into custody by four constables on March 7, 1996. While being taken to the Kollam West police station in an autorickshaw, he whipped out a knife and stabbed constable Chandran in the abdomen and escaped. Chandran succumbed to his injuries. The case was initially investigated by the local police and later by separate teams of special police squads. It was handed over to the Crime Branch-CID in 1998.

Ranjini was allegedly killed by Divil Kumar and his accomplice Rajesh Kumar. The police said Ranjini had an affair with Divil Kumar.

She had lodged a complaint with the State Women’s Commission after she became pregnant stating that Divil Kumar was trying to get out of the relationship.She gave birth to twins and was killed soon after at her house in Anchal.

Though the suspects were working in the same regiment of Indian Army in Punjab, they had not joined duty after the incident. The Indian Army had termed them ‘deserters’ and issued a look-out notice.

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