Nikhil Sathish
Idukki : Santhampara Police on Wednesday arrested the 18-year-old brother of the prime accused in the murder of a Tamil Nadu native woman whose charred body was found in a forested area near Pambla Dam in Idukki on Oct 14. The police had earlier arrested the key accused Nishanth , 19, in the case.
The police said Nikhil allegedly helped his brother transport and burn the victim’s body after the murder. When that plan failed, they took the body to a forested area near Pambla, purchased petrol from Thottappura and set the body on fire, the police said. Nishanth had initially told the police that he had murdered Nithya and burned the body alone.
The arrested person is Nikhil Sathish. Nishanth then allegedly called his brother Nikhil to the spot. Nikhil then arrived in an autorickshaw and the two allegedly transported the body in it. Their initial plan was to dump the body in a marshy area or waterbody. However, inconsistencies in his statement and evidence gathered during the investigation led police to suspect the involvement of another person.
Further investigation revealed Nikhil’s alleged role in the crime. The victim’s charred body was found in an isolated location behind the Electricity Board quarters and a checkpost near Pambla Dam.
The deceased Nithya, 18, who had arrived at Pooppara from Tamil Nadu, had an argument with Nishanth over their marriage, according to the investigation. He then allegedly took her on a motorcycle to a cardamom plantation at Aramanpara and strangled her with a mobile phone charger and struck her face with a stone.