Retired HC employee arrested for woman’s murder in Kochi

Kochi: Hours after Sudha Baby (45) of Chingavanam in Kottayam was murdered at Vyttila early on Tuesday morning, Maradu Police arrested retired high court employee and Ponnurunni native Shaji KV (63) for the crime. Her body lay on a subsidiary railway track that railways do not usually use. Baby's phone lay near her body. It led to quick identification and proved crucial in identifying the suspect.Soon after police found her dead, they collected sufficient CCTV footage of the woman and the killer before and after the crime. Police said the footage showed Shaji and Baby walking together towards the crime scene. Additional footage showed Shaji leaving the scene alone with bloodstains on his body. Police sources said Shaji had known Baby for some time and they were in a relationship. They added that their relationship recently came under strain due to various reasons."The accused picked her up from her residence in Poothotta on Monday night with a plan to kill her. The duo arrived in Vyttila by car and walked towards the spot. They had an argument after which Shaji attacked her. He hit the woman on her face, fracturing her nasal bone. He then held her head and slammed it onto the ground causing head injuries," said an officer.Police said Shaji tried to make it look like a train had run over her but it failed because trains do not frequent the track where he placed the body. The loco pilot of an express train spotted her body around 1.45am and railway police force and police were alerted.Police completed inquest proceedings and the woman's autopsy was completed at Kalamassery medical college. A forensic team and senior officers examined the scene of crime to collect evidence.