6 months on, suspect turns out to be victim in Punalur case where charred, chained body was found
Nearly five months after a decomposed body was discovered chained to a rubber tree in an abandoned plantation in Mukkadavu, Punalur, DNA analysis has revealed a significant development in the case, identifying the victim as Anikuttan, 41, who was initially considered a suspect. The body, found on September 23rd with hands and legs bound by chains and parts of the face and body burnt, was too decomposed for immediate identification. Preliminary investigations had linked Anikuttan, a tile worker from Alappuzha, to the incident, leading to a lookout notice being issued. However, DNA testing using samples from his relatives confirmed he was the deceased, not the perpetrator. Police are continuing their investigation to identify the actual accused and are considering possibilities like suicide, with the cause of death still under forensic examination due to the presence of stab wounds and burn marks.
Nearly five months after a decomposed body was discovered chained to a rubber tree in an abandoned plantation in Mukkadavu, Punalur, DNA analysis has revealed a significant development in the case, identifying the victim as Anikuttan, 41, who was initially considered a suspect. The body, found on September 23rd with hands and legs bound by chains and parts of the face and body burnt, was too decomposed for immediate identification. Preliminary investigations had linked Anikuttan, a tile worker from Alappuzha, to the incident, leading to a lookout notice being issued. However, DNA testing using samples from his relatives confirmed he was the deceased, not the perpetrator. Police are continuing their investigation to identify the actual accused and are considering possibilities like suicide, with the cause of death still under forensic examination due to the presence of stab wounds and burn marks.
Nearly five months after a decomposed body was discovered chained to a rubber tree in an abandoned plantation in Mukkadavu, Punalur, DNA analysis has revealed a significant development in the case, identifying the victim as Anikuttan, 41, who was initially considered a suspect. The body, found on September 23rd with hands and legs bound by chains and parts of the face and body burnt, was too decomposed for immediate identification. Preliminary investigations had linked Anikuttan, a tile worker from Alappuzha, to the incident, leading to a lookout notice being issued. However, DNA testing using samples from his relatives confirmed he was the deceased, not the perpetrator. Police are continuing their investigation to identify the actual accused and are considering possibilities like suicide, with the cause of death still under forensic examination due to the presence of stab wounds and burn marks.
Nearly five months after a dead body was found chained to a tree in a plantation in Mukkadavu, Punalur, DNA analysis revealed that an initial suspect in the case, Anikuttan (41), was actually the victim.
The decomposed body was found chained and locked to a rubber tree in an abandoned plantation in Mukkadavu on September 23. Local residents collecting chillies (kanthari) in the estate in the afternoon stumbled upon the body. It was estimated to be over 2 weeks old, and the hands and legs were bound with heavy chains. The face and several parts of the body were burnt, and the body was so decomposed that identification was not possible.
During preliminary investigations, the Punalur police suspected that Anikkuttan, a tile-worker from Nooranad, Alappuzha, was closely associated with the incident. There was multiple evidence linking him to the crime, including CCTV footage from a nearby petrol pump. However, it could not be confirmed whether the samples belonged to the victim or the accused.
Following this development, the Punalur police had issued a lookout notice against him. Later, when a DNA test based on the samples collected from Anikkuttan's relatives was conducted, it was found that he was the victim and not the suspect.
The police said that they are continuing with their investigations to determine the actual accused and are exploring the various possibilities, including suicide.
According to the police, stab wounds and burn marks were present on the body, which may have led to the death. However, the body is sent for further forensic testing as confusion remains on the exact cause of death.