Barrel mystry unraveled

A scientific investigation focusing on the malleolar screw on the ankle joint of a woman whose body was found in a concrete-filled barrel has helped the police crack the mystery surrounding her identity and identify the alleged perpetrator.

The Ernakulam South police investigating the murder of the woman, later identified as Shakunthala, on Wednesday claimed cracking the murder mystery and named T M Sajith, alleged paramour of her daughter, as the prime suspect. Sajith was found dead, a day after the skeletal remains of Shakunthala, still unidentified, was recovered.

According to police,

TM Sajith

, an inspector with the

Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

(SPCA), murdered Shakunthala after she allegedly threatened to inform his wife about the affair he had with her daughter Ashwathi.

Sajith was identified as the prime suspect after they tracked five of his friends who helped him to dump the barrel containing the body using call data records. One of them was present on the location when the police were engaged in the process of recovering the body.

Police officials said Sajith’s friends had helped him dispose the barrel unaware of the fact that it had a body hidden inside. Investigating officer Siby Tom said Lijo, one of the friends of Sajith realized this only when the police broke the barrel and found the skeletal remains.

According to police, Sajith was frequenting a rented house which he had arranged for the family of Shakunthala since April, 2016. On September 19, 2016, Ashwathi and her two children were taken to a hotel room as Shakunthala had contracted chicken pox. The murder happened between September 19 and September 24, 2016. Sajith then took the barrel from his friend Suresh, stating the need to collect water.

On September 24, Sajith sought the help of Mahesh, an elephant contractor, to dispose ‘some waste’. Mahesh, along with four of his friends Lijo, Biju, Shinu and Mukesh, arrived at the house in Chotanikkara to help him dispose the barrel.

“Sajith asked them to move it keeping it erect. As they were shifting the barrel a foul smell emanated from the barrel and one of them even vomited,” said circle inspector Siby Tom. Sajith, in order to win their confidence, then made a preposterous claim that the barrel contained a mixture of animal bones, flesh and human skulls which would turn into iridium if kept under water, the officer said.

“One of them was standing behind me when the barrel was opened. After realizing that the barrel they dumped had a body inside he alerted others and tried contacting Sajith through phone. Also, as per their statements, Sajith has withdrawn money from an ATM near Panangad on September 24, 2016 and bank account details confirmed this,” the officer said.

Police identified the make and batch number of the malleolar screw using a digital enlargement of its photograph. Shakunthala was the only woman who could not be traced in the list of persons who had underwent medical procedures involving the malleolar screw, traced to VKN Hospital, Tripunithura.

However, police are yet to confirm the exact motive or time of the murder as the accused was found dead a day after the barrel containing the body was found.