Kochi : At an identification parade held Sunday, crucial witnesses picked out Sahal Hamsa, the 23-year-old Campus Front worker who stabbed SFI leader at Maharajas College on 2nd of July in 2018. An extensive search is underway for the murder weapon, believed to have been discarded at Vembanad lake, shortly after the murder.
Seven major witnesses confirmed Shahal as the assailant who plunged the knife into Abhimanyu’s chest on the fateful night. The identification parade was held at a specially arranged venue in Ernakulam at 9.30 am yesterday.
The search for knife at Vendururthi bridge lasted two hours however, the Fire Force Department whose scuba divers used metal detectors and dive torches, were unable to come up on the murder weapon.
Strong currents and soil deposits posed hindrance to the search, which will be continued in coming days, said ACP S.T. Suresh Kumar. After the murder, Sahal and four accomplices travelled toward Thopumpaddy in an autorickshaw. Upon reaching Venduruthi bridge, they flung the murder knife into the lake below, says testimony from the accused.
Sahal also threw his shirt soaked with Abhimanyu’s blood into Vembanad lake. The gang then, after reaching Chullikkal, dispersed in different directions and headed for Karnataka. With help from Popular Front, the fugitives spend several days in Shimog, Bengaluru and Ayrwadi in arranged hideouts. The men will be taken to those places for collecting evidence, said the ACP.
Images of Sahal and his accomplices were found on CCTVs at both Thopumpady and Chullikall. The remand period for Sahal, the 10th accused, expires on 30 June. Police are expected to plea court for an extension for continued probe and building evidence.
