Nedumkandam: The police on Friday arrested three persons accused of shooting dead Sunny Thomas Palakkal at his home in Nedumkandam, Idukki.
Sunny was found shot dead in his bedroom with a gunshot wound on his face on Tuesday night.
The police on Friday recovered a country gun as well that they beleive was used in the murder of the man from a pond in the vicinity.
Ammunition and bullets used were also found in the area earlier. The cops drained the water in the pond to recover more weapons if any.
The accused, Saji John and Binu from Mavady, and Vineesh from Muniyeera, were taken into custody on Thursday. They were brought to the scene of the crime on Friday for gathering evidence.
According to the police, the accused claimed that they were aiming at a wild animal from a cardamom field near Sunny's residence. The shot was misfired and hit Sunny while he was asleep, they told the police.
Police concluded it was indeed murder on Thursday after bullets were recovered from Sunny's residential premises. Among the five bullets discharged, four left marks on the kitchen door.
The police suspect the attackers shot Sunny from a cardamon field adjacent to his home through the window using a country gun.
The bullets used were made of glass indicating the gun was used for hunting.
A 50-member team headed by Kattappana DySP Nishadmon and Nedunkandam CI Jarlin V Scaria has been deputed for the investigation.
When the ballistic team and special forensic team from Ernakulam inspected the house, they found five bullets nailed to the kitchen door.
A metal part similar to a trigger used in a country gun was found nailed to the forehead of the murdered Sunny. Residents of the area said people come from other regions to hunt wild boar, pigeons and rabbit to Mavady.
