Four of a family killed in Adimali house fire: Probe handed over to crime branch

Idukki: With the police investigation into the deaths of four of a family at Kombodinjal near Adimali failing to make any headway even after nine months, the case has been handed over to crime branch. Subha (38), wife of the late Anish, her mother Ponnamma (75), children Abhinand (9) and Abhinav (5) were charred to death after their house at Thellippadavu caught fire on May 9 last year. A local action council has been demanding a comprehensive probe.Idukki superintendent of police K M Sabu Mathew confirmed the decision to hand over the probe to crime branch."The probe has been entrusted to crime branch DySP Joy Mathew. He will formally take over the case soon," Mathew told TOI.A special investigation team (SIT) led by Idukki DySP Jinsen Mathew had probed the case, which was registered at the Vellathooval station, for eight months but failed to find any breakthrough. The police initially suspected electrical short circuit as the reason for the fire but a preliminary report by the district electrical inspection department ruled that out. The seized electronic devices, including a neighbour's laptop and other mobile phones, were sent to the forensic science laboratory in Thiruvananthapuram for detailed examination. A neighbour was taken into custody and questioned but all these could not provide any leads. Preliminary findings also indicated that the deceased had no known enmity with anyone. DySP Jinsen, meanwhile, got a promotion and left.The body of younger child Abhinav was recovered from the kitchen area and those of the other three from separate bedrooms, all in a fully charred state. Workers engaged in timber work nearby reportedly said that they heard an explosion-like sound during that night.Investigators are probing multiple angles, including the possibility of suicide and murder by setting the house on fire. Chemical analysis reportedly indicated the presence of a substance said to be used by the forest department.Konnathady grama panchayat president Ramya Raneesh had raised doubts about the incident and lodged a written complaint with the police the day after the incident, supecting foul play. Action council representatives — Anil Vilakkunnel, Vinod Karukappillil and Subha's brother Girish — have urged authorities to focus the investigation on the relatives of Subha's husband Anish, who died of Covid in 2021, and to expedite the inquiry."Following the death of Anish, there were attempts to evict Subha and their children from their house. The family's car also was sold without Subha's consent," said Girish.Meanwhile, the action council has called a dawn-to-dusk hartal in Konnathady grama panchayat on Friday, citing slackness in the probe. The hartal is likely to disrupt normal life, with shops and establishments expected to remain closed during day.