The Thiruvananthapuram Rural police on Monday nabbed Poovachal native Priyaranjan, 42, who was on the run following his alleged role in murdering a 15-year-old boy near Kattakada two weeks ago.
The accused was apprehended near Kuzhithurai close to the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border and brought to the Kattakada police station amid high security to record his arrest by the evening.
He has been accused of murdering Adisekhar, a Class X student, who was mowed down by his car at Pulinkode on August 30.
District Police Chief (Thiruvananthapuram Rural) D. Shilpa told media persons that Priyaranjan will be interrogated on the motive that led to the alleged crime. He has claimed to have gone into hiding fearing the repercussions of his actions.
The accused has been booked for murder on the basis of a complaint submitted by Adisekhar’s family, a witness account and CCTV footage recovered from the area.
A large crowd gathered outside the police station premises as news of the arrest emerged. The police resorted to locking the gates briefly to keep the irate group at bay after the police team led by Ms. Shilpa arrived with the accused in custody.
The purportedly premeditated murder was triggered by animosity Priyaranjan harboured against the boy for questioning his act of urinating near the former’s family temple in an inebriated state a few days prior to the alleged crime.
