Man arrested for killing taxi driver five months ago

COIMBATORE: The city police arrested a 26-year-old man from Pathanamthitta in Kerala state on Thursday for murdering a taxi driver K Ethiraj, 62, of HMT road in Udhagamandalam in Nilgiris on March 7.
According to police, the accused was travelling in the taxi along with his family and friend to his home town from Nilgiris. The accused and his friend had quarrelled with Ethiraj and strangulated him to death, abandoning him in the car on Thadagam road.
The arrested person was identified as Anoop, 26, from Pathanamthitta in Kerala.He owned a broiler chicken shop. His mother Vanaja alias Laila, 48, suffers from cancer. On March 6, the accused went to Ooty for sightseeing along with his mother, wife Sinju, their 2-year-old daughter and his friend. "They were returning to Kerala in a hired car belonging to Ethiraj. Anoop was at the wheel as Ethiraj suffered from night blindness. His family and friend were sitting behind," said commissioner of police A Amalraj.
Deputy commissioner of police S Lakshmi said that Anoop drove the car in a negligent manner while his friend made the vehicle dirty. Ethiraj was upset over this and a quarrel erupted between him and Anoop. During the argument, Anoop and his friend strangled Ethiraj using a shawl.
According to police, Anoop is wanted in connection with a kidnapping case in Kerala. He also faces another case in Dindigul.
Anoop's friend is still absconding and a special team has been formed to arrest him.