Kollam: In a shocking turn of events, the death of an elderly cyclist in Kollam, initially deemed an accident, is now believed to be a murder. Saritha, a manager at a private bank, allegedly orchestrated the killing to conceal the extortion of Rs 40 lakh from the victim, retired BSNL divisional engineer C Pappachan. Saritha hired contract killer Animon to execute the plan. Pappachan, who had deposited his retirement benefits at the bank, had confronted Saritha about the missing money. He was lured to resolve the issue and then killed by a car driven by Animon on May 26.
The startling details emerged just as the investigation was about to write off Pappachan's death as a road accident. Pappachan had maintained good relations with the bank employees who managed his retirement benefits as a fixed deposit in the private bank. However, it was known that Pappachan did not have a good relationship with his family.
Saritha meticulously planned the murder, knowing that if Pappachan died, no one would pursue the missing money. The "accident" was staged by Animon, who drove a rented car into Pappachan's bicycle. The incident occurred in an alley next to the ashram grounds. Pappachan was known for regularly using his bicycle.
