One more arrested in the Karunagappally Santosh murder case
Pankaj Menon, a resident of Changanakulangara, Ochira, has been arrested in connection with the Kollam Karunagappally Santosh murder case. He was caught from Kallambalam while in hiding. Police suspect that the murder was carried out based on a contract killing ordered by Pankaj. The first accused, Aluva Athul, and another person are still absconding, and efforts to apprehend them have been intensified.
With Pankaj’s arrest, the total number of people taken into custody in the case has risen to six. Among those arrested are five individuals directly involved in the crime and one person who provided a vehicle for the attackers.
The murder took place on March 27, when Santosh, a resident of Thachayil Mukk, was brutally killed. The assailants arrived in a car, forcefully entered his house, and hacked him to death. After the murder, they escaped in the same vehicle, according to police reports.
The FIR states that the motive behind the killing was previous enmity. This led the police to conclude that it was a contract killing. Initial investigations suggest that the murder resulted from a long-standing rivalry between two gangs operating in Karunagappally and Ochira. However, further questioning of the accused is required to confirm the details.
