A.P. Shoukathali, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Dy.SP), Crime Branch, who was a member of the special police team that probed the murder of T.P. Chandrasekharan, narrated before the trial court here on Thursday how a team led by him captured five accused in the case, including three alleged assailants, from a hideout in Kannur district in a pre-dawn operation.
He was deposing before R. Narayana Pisharadi, judge, Special Additional District and Sessions Court (Marad cases). Chandrasekharan, leader of Revolutionary Marxist Party, was killed allegedly by a hired gang at Vallikkad around 10.15 p.m. on May 4, 2012.
The officer, who was then Dy.SP, Thalassery, said the special police team worked out a plan at the Mahe Guest House on June 14, 2012, for nabbing the accused hiding in a hillock near Iritty.
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The team, including sub-inspectors and civil police officers equipped with riot weapons, left in a tipper lorry for Mudakunnu at 1.30 a.m. The police reached the Mudakunnu Service Cooperative Bank and took along with them P. Jigesh, the bank’s watchman, who was allegedly harbouring the accused. The police reached Peringanammala at 3.30 a.m. and surrounded the tent where the five were sleeping.
Escape bid foiled
When the police party entered the tent, the accused tried to escape, but they were overpowered. They identified themselves as Sunil Kumar aka Kodi Suni, Manoj Kumar aka Kirmani Manoj, Mohammed Shafi, Sreejith, and Sudheesh. A country-made revolver was recovered from Sreejith and a double-edged dagger from Subash. Their arrests were subsequently recorded, Mr. Shoukathali said.
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He said that a police team led by him took into custody P. Mohanan, member of the Kozhikode district secretariat of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI-M], near Koyilandy around 8.30 a.m. on June, 28, 2012. Mohanan was brought to the camp office of the special investigation team at Vadakara at 9.30 a.m. and produced before Dy.SP K.V. Santhosh Kumar.
He told the court that he had arrested Pradeepan, aka Lambu, (31st accused) on May 15, 2012. Pradeepan was charged with hiding the weapons used for killing Chandrasekharan. Five swords were recovered from a well behind the Vasudeva Service Station at Chokli on May 16, 2012. Water sample was also collected from the well in a jar.
Mr. Shoukathali said he had recorded the arrest of Dilshad (20 accused) and Mohammed Faslu (21 accused) on May 16 and May 18 respectively.
Confession statements of 15 witnesses were also recorded, he said.