Kollam: Two of a gang of goons have been arrested on charges of the abduction and murder of a former aide. The body of Renjith Johnson (Renju, 40) was recovered from a village in Tamil Nadu three weeks after he was kidnapped amid floods on August 15.
Kilikollur police arrested Unni (Kaithapuzha Unni, 39) from Poothakulam in Paravoor, and his accomplice Vinesh, both members of a gang of thugs led by main accused Manoj (Pampu Manoj, 40) who has gone into hiding along with three others.
Renjith had been living with the wife of his former friend Manoj for the past nine years, after she left her husband owing to his abuse. Renjith made a living selling doves and rabbits at his house 'Promised Land' near Iyer Junction in Peroor, Kottankara. The police said four members of Manoj's gang arrived at Renjith's house at around 3.30 pm on Independence Day on the pretext of buying doves and managed to kidnap him in their vehicle.
According to the police, Manoj joined them later. Renjith was thrashed and kicked to death at a deserted place near Polachira wetland, Chathannur. The body was then kept in the back-seat and driven 160 km, via Thiruvananthapuram and Nagercoil, to Samundapuram Ponnakudy, some 15 km from Tirunelveli. It was buried early next day in a place where quarry waste is dumped.
The body had decayed as the police traced it after three weeks. However, a tattoo on Renjith's hand helped his relatives to identify him.
After Renjith disappeared, his mother Treesa Johnson had lodged a complaint with the police, but there was not much of a progress in investigation. Later the family approached City Police Commissioner Dr Arul R B Krishna, who expedited action. The arrest of Unni helped unravel the murder.
Friend turns foe
Manoj, accused in several cases, had been a close friend of Renjith, but had attacked him earlier after his wife started living with the victim. The police claims the murder was executed by Manoj to avenge his betrayal.
As Renjith's parents had opposed his relationship, the couple mostly used to live in a rented house away from his family. However, she used to be at her workplace most of the time and he was operating his business from the ancestral home.
Renjith often intervened when Manoj used to assault his wife. Renjith offered to accept her when she decided to kill herself unable to withstand her husband's regular thrashing. As she left with Renjith, Manoj turned his enemy. Renjith was keeping away from Manoj after realising that the friend sought revenge.
Unni claimed the murder was a meticulously-planned plot. His initial statements had confused the police much. He had stated at first that Renjith was dumped into the Ithikkara river. He admitted in further grilling that the murder was carried out at Polachira.
Floods used for cover
Renjith was killed near a 7-km-long bund road around a wetland. Hardly anyone accessed the flooded road those days and even a scream would have gone unanswered that day as the whole location was deserted.
The police team had to walk a kilometre to reach Ponnakudy, where the body was dumped. The 250-acre dump-yard is accessed only by vehicles that bring quarry waste. The body was dumped in a pit and covered with granite and mud.
One of the murder accused is a truck driver belonging to Tamil Nadu. Manoj is accused in several cases of assaulting excise officials. The police said his gang is active in ganja trade in Kollam district. Assault cases have been registered against him at Iravipuram, Kottiyam and Paravur stations.
The Iravipuram native had most of his friends at Mayyanad Kaithapuzha area. These are also areas he had chosen to hide from the law. Unni is also from Mayyanad Kaithapuzha.
