Businessman butchered, stuffed in suit cases

KOZHIKODE: Kerala police arrested three persons on Thursday in connection with the gruesome murder of city-based businessman Siddique, 58, whose chopped up body parts were found stuffed in trolley bags recovered from Atappadi Agali in Palakkad district the other day.

Police arrested Vallapuzha native, Shibili, 22, an employee at Siddique’s hotel, his friend Farhana, 18, who belongs to Cherpulassery in Palakkad district from Chennai and Farhana’s friend Ashiq alias Chikku from Palakkad.

The police have also taken into custody Farhana’s brother Gafoor from their house at Chalavara, near Otappalam, according to unconfirmed reports.

Malappuram superintendent of police Sooraj Das reported that the dead body which was stuffed inside the trolley bags was at least seven days old.

“Siddique was probably murdered on May 18 or 19. The mortal remains were recovered with the help of Fire Force personnel. The inquest proceedings are ongoing. The motive for the murder is unclear,” Das told reporters.

Siddique, from Tirur Ezhoor Mecheri in Malappuram district was slaughtered at a hotel in Eranhipalam in Kozhikode city.

The police recovered the dead body chopped into parts in two separate trolley bags from a ravine beneath the 9th hairpin curve on Atappady Ghat road.

According to a complaint lodged by the victim’s son with Tirur police on Monday, Siddique, who owned a hotel at Olavanna near here was missing since 18 May. Shibili was fired from the hotel for misappropriation of funds on the day Siddique went missing. According to the police, the businessman was probably murdered on 18 or 19 May. According to CCTV visuals, three people, including Siddique, visited the hotel room, only two people let the room with two trolley bags in their hands.

According to police, Ashiq was taken to Agali in Atappadi for evidence collection, as he was involved in dropping off the bags at the location. He was in the car when the trolley bags were thrown out.