Ernakulam Rural Police on Monday arrested five persons in connection with the murder of a 34-year-old man in front of a bar at Athani here on Sunday night.
The arrested include Akhil, 25; Nikhil, 22; Arun, 22, Jijish, 38, all belonging to Meykad; and Justin, 28, of Poikattusseri.
The police said the search for the first three accused was progressing.
Binoy, a resident of Thuruthussery at Nedumbassery, was allegedly hacked to death by the gang around 8 p.m. on Sunday. The investigating team, led by K. Karthick, District Police Chief (Rural), said the members of the gang led by Binoy, a known history-sheeter, had attacked the fourth accused Akhil a few days ago. The accused assembled at Akhil’s house on Sunday morning and hatched a plan to eliminate Binoy. They received information by evening that Binoy was at a bar near Athani. He was hacked to death by the three main accused that include Vinu Vikraman, Lal Kichu and Grintesh.
Investigators said the accused were associated with Binoy and were members of a gang run by the deceased since 2014. Differences had cropped up among the gang members, which eventually led to the murder of Binoy. He had several cases registered against him in Kalady, Chengamanad and Angamaly stations.
The gang, ‘Athani Boys’, formed by Binoy was involved in theft, extortion, kidnapping and murder cases. The police said that Binoy and those who had allegedly killed him were taken into custody for various criminal activities when they were part of the same group. All the accused had cases lodged against them in various police stations under the Ernakulam Rural limits.
