The Poovar police on Thursday recovered the weapon allegedly used by a three-member gang to stab to death Shameer, an autorickshaw driver on January 19 after he allegedly questioned motorbike-racing activities of two members of the gang.
N. Jayakumar, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Neyyattinkara, said the police recovered the weapon after receiving in custody, Abdullah, the first accused in the case. Abdullah led the police to the cleaver which he had hid under a heap of firewood near his house at Kodivilakom, he said.
The other two members of the gang, both siblings and juveniles in conflict with law, were arrested from Idichakkaplamoodu, near Parassala, also on last Thursday. They were produced before the Juvenile Justice Board the same day. The case is being investigated by a team led by S. Ujjwal Kumar, Circle Inspector, Poovar, and K. Shiji, sub-inspector, Poovar.
The police said Shameer had advised the siblings against their motorbike racing activity, following which they approached Abdullah. The three allegedly waylaid Shameer around 6.30 p.m. on Monday, near Kodivilakom, and attacked him with iron rods and a meat cleaver. They stabbed Shameer on the head, neck and back, and the injuries led to his death early the next day.
The trio had gone into hiding immediately, but the siblings were nabbed on Thursday and Abdullah surrendered before the court after hearing of their arrest.
