Wayanad: The death of a 71-year-old woman in Wayanad, initially believed to be an accident, took a dramatic turn after the police unfolded the mystery surrounding the case. Biyyumma, wife of Melenellimunda Poolaparamban Ibrahim, who was pillion riding on a scooter with her grandson, was deliberately hit by a jeep driven by five intoxicated youngsters. 

The police have arrested five youngsters in connection with the case, including a minor. Perumbala native Akhil (28), Aramanganam Puthiyavalapp House Prasanth (21), Perumbala Vayalamkuzhi Pachilankara Nidhi Narayanan (20) and Perumbala Vayalamkuzhi Chavakkad House Nidhin Narayanan (22) were booked by the police. 

The incident happened on June 8, around 11 am, when Biyyumma and her grandson Afilu were travelling to Nellimunda from Mappilathottam. As they entered a pocket road near Meppadi, they had a brief altercation with the accused, who reportedly entered the lane without following traffic rules. Shortly after the dispute, the duo continued their journey, only to be struck from behind by the accused's vehicle, leading to the tragic death of Biyyumma.

Following the incident, the police arrested Akhil, who was driving the Mahindra Bolero jeep, and he was remanded after interrogation. 

Meppadi police Inspector P U Jayaprakash told Onmanorama that the incident was first registered as an accidental death. "Later, while searching the jeep, we recovered liquor bottles and the case was upgraded as culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and the youth driving the vehicle was arrested and remanded, while others were let off", he said.

Jayaprakash added that the police didn't stop the investigation, as there were early suspicions that the incident could be a murder. However, there were no witnesses or CCTV visuals. Afilu, the victim's grandson, who had serious injuries and was hospitalised for several days, was unable to give a statement. "Later, we found an eyewitness who had seen the jeep following the scooter and hitting it from the rear, which made all the difference," he said.  

According to eyewitness Rajesh, a local driver, the Bolero jeep was seen following the scooter, with the intoxicated youths inside allegedly urging the driver to ram into it. In the absence of CCTV footage, the police relied heavily on witness testimonies and other circumstantial evidence. Based on Rajesh’s account, the accused had followed the scooter for nearly 45 minutes before deliberately hitting it from behind.

The police on Thursday took custody of the four other accused, including the minor, and slapped them with murder charges. They also sought the custody of Akhil on Friday for a joint interrogation. All the accused, except the juvenile, were produced before the court and remanded to judicial custody. The juvenile has been produced in front of the Juvenile Justice Board. 

The arrest happened days before an action council, constituted by local residents, decided to hold an agitation in front of the Meppadi police station on June 16 to demand a fair investigation into the incident.