Murder-accused cop, on the run, found dead at home

A senior police official on the run in connection with the road rage-related murder of a 32-year-old man was on Tuesday found dead at his family home in Kallambalam in Thiruvananthapuram district.

The body of B Harikumar, former Deputy Superintendent of Police of Neyyattinkara, was found hanging at his home. The state police were trying to track Harikumar for a week after he went absconding. On the night of November 5, Harikumar had an altercation with Sanal Kumar, a Neyyattinkara resident, over a parking-related issue and pushed him on to a road in Kodungavila near Neyyattinkara.

According to eyewitnesses, Sanal was knocked down by a speeding car and the police official fled the scene with a friend, Binu. Sanal, an electrician, was declared dead at a hospital.

Harikumar was suspended and a case under IPC Section 302 was registered against him. The Crime Branch had taken over the investigation of the case amid protests over the allegation that he was being “protected”. Sanal’s wife Viji had commenced a hunger strike demanding Harikumar’s arrest. Responding to reporters’ questions on Harikumar’s death, she said it was “God’s judgment”. Sanal’s family is set to continue with the legal proceedings seeking action against co-accused in the case.

Two men – Satheesh Kumar, manager of a tourist home in Thirparappu in Kanyakumari, and Anoop, son of Binu – were arrested earlier for helping the accused evade the police.