Nellikuzhi murder: SIT seeks custody of Bihar residents

Duo accused of supplying weapon to Rakhil

The special investigation squad probing the murder of a young dental student at Nellikuzhi near Kothamangalam filed an application for the custody of the two accused on Tuesday.

Sonu Kumar, 20, a resident of Parsando village in Munger district, and Maneesh Kumar, 23, of Buxar district, were remanded in judicial custody on Monday.

The 24-year-old student was gunned down on July 29 using a country-pistol by her alleged stalker, Rakhil, at her paying guest accommodation right next to the Indira Gandhi Institute of Dental Sciences at Nellikuzhi where she did her house surgeoncy. He then took his own life.

The Bihar residents were arrested for allegedly supplying the weapon to Rakhil. While Sonu is accused of supplying the firearm, Maneesh is charged with playing the intermediary between Sonu and Rakhil.

The investigation team would be able to verify their primary statements in detail only after getting their custody. Among other things, the team is likely to verify whether the accused had sold more guns in the State.

Sonu, who ran a firm dealing in money transfer, was arrested from a village near the Bihar-Jharkhand border by the sleuths posing as customers. The police team was attacked while transporting the arrested.

Maneesh was arrested from Patna. Mr. Karthik said the Bihar police extended considerable assistance in arresting both the accused.

As per the preliminary probe, the pistol was purchased for ₹35,000. Rakhil was also allegedly trained in using the firearm by the arrested persons. A statement by a friend of Rakhil that they had gone to procure the pistol from Bihar had exposed the origin of the firearm.

A ballistic examination of the firearm had found it to be a 7.62 mm country-made pistol.

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