Jayaghosh slashed his wrist in frantic bid to cover up link to smugglers: Customs

Thiruvananthapuram: The UAE Consulate gunman who was found with his wrist slashed could have staged the suicide attempt to cover up his links to the gold smuggling gang, the Customs and Police doubt. 

Customs believe he staged his disappearance and suicide attempt in a desperate bid to cover up his involvement. They are scrutinising bank accounts belonging to Jayaghosh and his close relatives.

Jayaghosh had knowledge about the smuggling activities. His calls to Swapna could have been about the gang’s operations, Customs sleuths suspect. 

Swapna Suresh is an accused in the gold smuggling case. 

Jayaghosh feared that Swapna’s gang would kill him in the mistaken belief that he had leaked information about its gold smuggling activities, his friend Nagaraj, who is also a policeman, told Manorama News.

Jayaghosh had told me that there were big gangs behind Swapna and that she controlled everything at the UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram, Nagaraj said. 

Jayaghosh was found with injuries on his hand on Friday noon, a day after he had apparently gone missing from his home. His last call before the incident was to Nagaraj, who too is also under a cloud now. 

Jayaghosh's claim

The gunman told officials that he had attempted suicide since he feared that the smuggling gang would kill him in the mistaken belief that he had given out information about their activities. 

I decided to end my own life before they caught me, he said.

A magistrate has recorded his statement. The Customs will also take his statement. His phone call records will also be examined. 

"I hid in a forest on Thursday night after I got a threatening call. I cut my wrist at 11.30 am the next day," Jayaghosh said.

Jayaghosh left his home around 7 pm on Thursday after he received a call and he did not return, his wife had stated in a complaint filed with the Thumba police. He had mentioned about threats from the gold smuggling gang, she stated in her complaint.

When he was found on Friday, he had two cuts on his hand. One of them was deep. 

Though Jayaghosh said he had swallowed the blade he had used to cut his wrist, Customs officials, however, suspect he is lying. Doctors have also confirmed to the police that his claim that he had swallowed the blade is a lie.  

The police also do not believe his statement that he was threatened by a bike-borne gang at Vattiyoorkavu.