Crime Branch cracks 12-year-old murder mystery in Idukki

Thodupuzha: Twelve years after the murder of a middle-aged woman in Idukki, a Crime Branch probe team has arrested a 38-year-old man in the case. Gireesh of Ettithoppu was arrested based on circumstantial evidence and scientific tests. His victim was 50-year-old Annamma (Kunjumol), who stayed alone at Pallikavala at Kanchiyar in Idukki district.

The crime happened on the night of August 2, 2008. Annamma had suffered grievous injuries after she was hit on the head. Though the Kattappanna police conducted a probe, they got no leads on the culprit.

After protests were held by a council formed for the purpose, the government handed over the further probe into the case to the Crime Branch in October 2008, as per the request of K K Jayachandran, MLA.

As part of the probe, several people were questioned and detailed investigation carried out on 19 suspects. Also, scientific tests, including those of blood samples and Annamma's clothes, were held.

Gireesh was arrested by a team led by the Idukki Crime Branch SP P K Madhu. Detective Inspector Shinto P Kurian, SIs M P Monachan, Saji Paul, and Siju Joseph; CPOs K R Bijesh, K C Anish, and P P Francis were also part of the team.

After collecting all the evidence, Gireesh was summoned to the Crime Branch Thodupuzha office for questioning the other day and was subsequently arrested. The accused was presented before the Kattappana first-class magistrate court and remanded.

He has been currently put up at the first-line treatment centre for COVID-19 tests.

Gireesh had earlier been sentenced for 12 years by the court for raping and impregnating a woman in 2002. Also, he was slapped with a POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) case for sexually assaulting a school student in 2016.

The police said that Gireesh was facing trial in this case.