Malappuram: Hotelier Siddique was murdered after a honey trap laid out by the three accused went amiss, Malappuram Superintendent of Police S Sujith Das said on Saturday.

Kozhikode-based businessman Siddique's chopped up body parts were found in trolley bags from Attapadi's Agali on May 26. Siddique from Ezhoor Mecheri in Malappuram's Tirur was slaughtered at a hotel in Eranhipalam in Kozhikode.

The accused are Shibili (22), an employee at Siddique's hotel, his friend Farhana (18), and Farhana's friend Ashiq. According to the police, Farhana's father was an acquaintance of the deceased. Shibili was given a job at Siddique's restaurant at Kozhikode's Olavanna at her behest.

The Crime

All three accused were present at the lodge at the time of the crime, the Malappuram SP said. Siddique was invited to the lodge by Farhana, according to the police.

When Siddique refused to strip naked in the lodge room as directed by the accused, a scuffle ensued. During the fight, Farhana handed over a hammer to Shibili to attack Siddique. Shibili hit him on the head with the weapon. Ashiq aided Shibili in the murder by pinning him on the floor with his foot. After the murder, the accused purchased an electric cutter and two trolley bags for chopping up and disposing the body.

The accused will be taken to the place of crime for evidence collection on Saturday.

"The accused went absconding but were detained in Chennai with the help of railway police," the SP said.

"As per our preliminary investigation, the death happened between May 18 and 19. Hence, the body is estimated to be around seven days old. It seems like the murder happened due to some personal issues," police said.

Siddique had been missing from Kozhikode since May 18, and his family had lodged a complaint with the police on May 22.