Kottayam: Aswathi, who was found dead in a rubber plantation in Athirampuzha near here, had visited her home twice after she was reported missing, the police said.
She had returned home to get her SSLC certificate and inform the relatives that she was pregnant, Sindhu, the victim’s mother, revealed to the police during interrogation.
Aswathi, who was staying with her mother’s relative Thankamani at Kozhencherry, went missing on November 10, 2015. She had been attending tailoring classes at a shop in Kozhencherry town. Her father Viswanathan lodged a missing complaint with the Aranmula police station after the owner of the tailoring shop informed him that she stopped attending classes without any reason.
Basheer, who has been arrested by the police on charges of murder, had accompanied the victim’s father when he approached the police.
After filing the petition, the family began to search for her. She was rumored to be in an affair with an employee of a private bus operating on the Kottayam-Ettumannur route, but the relatives could not come out with any substantial evidence pointing to their relationship.
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When the desperate search was on for her by both police and relatives, Aswathi was hiding in Basheer’s house located a few meters away from their home. On one evening, she sneaked out of the hideout and entered her home through the kitchen without anyone noticing. However, Sindhu saw her when she tried to tip-toe out of the home after taking her certificate. Though she tried to stop her daughter, Aswathy pushed her down to the floor and escaped, according to Sindhu’s statement.
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Aswathi had once told her mother that she was in love with a bus employee and they were planning to run away. Later, she had also informed Sindhu that she was pregnant and requested her not to lodge a missing complaint. On both occasions Aswathi visited her home, Basheer made sure that Viswanathan was away. Once he sent him to buy liquor while on the second occasion he invited him to his residence and offered liquor, the police said.
Around six months ago, Aswathi’s grandmother Malathi had asked Viswanathan to keep a watch on Basheer after she grew suspicious about his actions. However, Aswathi’s parents did not take the warning seriously as Basheer was well mannered and helpful. In fact, Basheer did not give them any scope for doubting his intentions as he never talked to Aswathi in the presence of her parents or entered inside their home if she was there.
When Aswathi went missing, it was Basheer who advised the family to lodge a police complaint. He also actively involved in the search for her along with other relatives.
Basheer’s wife, who is employed in Kuwait, visited him last about three months ago. Then they had a bitter argument over the ownership of their property. She was planning to return from the Gulf as her contract was going to expire, Viswanathan told police.