Kozhikode: Police teams from two districts have reopened investigations into two decades-old murder cases after a confession by 54-year-old Muhammadali, who claimed he was involved in the killings before he turned 18.

The Kozhikode City Police Commissioner has formed a seven-member squad to probe the discovery of an unidentified body at Vellayil Beach in 1989. Simultaneously, Thiruvambady police have widened their investigation into the death of a man at Koodaranji in 1986, extending the probe to Iritty and Palakkad. Meanwhile, Vengara police in Malappuram have begun steps to secure Muhammadali’s custodial interrogation.

Police are also reviewing Muhammadali’s mental health history after his brother Paulose claimed he may suffer from psychological issues. Medical records indicate that Muhammadali underwent treatment at Vijaya Hospital in Kozhikode in 2015 and subsequently at Kozhikode Medical College Hospital in 2016. Police are in the process of collecting these records.

In the Koodaranji case, the post-mortem report of the victim noted the presence of sand and mud in the lungs, suggesting possible drowning. Local residents recalled that three days after the death, a group of four men visited the area, asking if the deceased might be the son of one of them. Thiruvambady police are now trying to trace this group.

Residents also remember that many of the casual labourers working in Koodaranji during the 1980s were from Palakkad, and investigators are following leads in that direction.

In the Vellayil Beach case, police are attempting to locate a man known as ‘Kanjavu Babu’, who was reportedly with Muhammadali at the time of the alleged crime. Criminal records from that period are being examined to see if his name appears in official documents.

The unidentified youth from Iritty
One of the victims allegedly murdered by Muhammadali is believed to have been from Iritty. According to Devassya, a resident of Koodaranji, who had hired a group of young men from Iritty, including the victim, the man had worked at their site for just two days before his death. His identity remains unknown as no personal details were recorded.

The youth reportedly died after falling into a shallow canal, and the post-mortem report attributed the cause of death to the presence of sand and mud in his lungs. Devassya recalls that months after the incident, a man claiming to be the victim’s father visited Koodaranji in search of his missing son.