Kozhikode: In a perplexing turn of events, police are questioning the account of Suhail, a car driver who reported an alleged robbery in Kozhikode’s Kattil Peedika. Just a day after claiming that Rs 25 lakh was stolen from him, Suhail changed his story, stating the missing amount had actually been Rs 72 lakh.
Initially, Suhail said that two individuals—a man and a woman—had asked for a ride in his car at Kurudimukku, near Arikkulam. He alleged that when he stopped, they sprinkled chilli powder in his eyes and took control of the vehicle, fleeing the scene with the cash after abandoning the car at Kattil Peedika.
Natives, hearing Suhail’s cries, came to the spot and found him inside the car with his hands tied. Koyilandy Police reached the scene and took him and his vehicle into custody. During questioning, he claimed to be a representative of a private company responsible for refilling ATMs. He was later taken to the Koyilandy Taluk Hospital for a medical examination before returning to the incident location for evidence collection.
Koyilandy station inspector Sreelal Chandrasekharan expressed scepticism regarding Suhail’s inconsistent statements. “Now he says Rs 72 lakh was stolen from his car. Why wasn't he more cautious if he was carrying such a large amount? And why would he need to carry that much cash?” the official told Onmanorama. “Additionally, Suhail claimed one of the attackers, dressed in a purdah, tried to choke him from outside the car, raising further doubts about his ability to defend himself. He remains uncertain about the assailants' genders, only asserting that they were wearing purdahs,” the official added.
