Kasaragod double murder: Peethambaran withdraws statement in court, says he didn’t kill Youth Congress workers

Kasaragod: Former local committee member A Peethambaran of CPI(M), the main accused in the double murder of Youth Congress workers at Periya in Kasaragod has withdrawn his statement in the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court. He said in the court that he was not involved in the double murder. Earlier, on February 20,  Peethambaran confessed to the killings to the police that he has direct involvement in the killing of two Youth Congress activists in Kasaragod district.

On February 25 Peethambaran also told the court that he was threatened by the Kerala Police officers when he was in custody at the Bekal police station and was forced to give the statement that he had committed the crime. Meanwhile, Kasaragod District Police Chief James Joseph said the police recovered the murder weapons as per his custodial disclosure.

The police said the Crime Branch, which was handed over the investigation in the case on Monday, would seek the custody of the accused in a couple of days. Later Peethambaran and Saji (another accused) were remanded to 14 day-judicial custody and sent to Kanjangadu sub-jail. Meanwhile, the Crime Branch has taken over the case.