The Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted to probe the death of Panthirikkara native K. Irshad Nazar has zeroed in on the prime suspect and two of his close aides who had reportedly escaped to Dubai.
According to police sources, the Kozhikode native, part of a bigger gold smuggling racket with national and international links, will be brought back to the State.
Irshad’s parents have held the man responsible for the mysterious death of their 26-year-old son who went missing nearly three weeks ago. According to them, the smuggler gang killed him and dumped the body in a river after fabricating a story to mislead the police.
Irshad’s family members have come up with a fresh revelation that they had been contacted by one of the suspects in the racket after confirmation of Irshad’s death based on the DNA test results. The man who contacted Irshad’s brother on phone on Friday sought payment of ₹10 lakh and claimed that Irshad was alive and would be released on payment of the amount.
Police sources said the three suspects involved in the abduction and suspected murder reportedly left for Dubai on July 19 along with their families. They left from the New Delhi airport. According to police sources, lookout notices would be issued as part of the procedures.
The police are waiting for the re-examination of Irshad’s post-mortem report as it will be crucial to confirm whether he was killed or drowned. Though the cremation of Irshad’s body was done by another family after confusing his remains with that of another missing man named Deepak, police sources said it would not affect the scientific probe. They said the post-mortem report and forensic details earlier prepared in the name of Deepak would be accessed and re-examined again for finding the actual cause of death.
Along with the ongoing probe into the suspected murder, a separate investigation team is at work to track Deepak of Meppayur who had been missing from his home for several weeks. Deepak’s family that cremated Irshad’s body has called upon the police to intensify the search.
It was on July 17 that the body of Irshad was recovered from the Kadaloor river near Koyilandy.
