Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur
Puttur, Oct 29 : The sensational murder of Baby Thomas (58) and his second wife Mary (45) on September 25 in Kadaba this year had left the Kadaba vicinity in deep shock, as there was no clue of the murderers even almost a month after the incident.
But now, a 15-member police team of Dakshina Kannada crime branch police are on the trail of two people who reportedly murdered the couple for money and gold.
Thomas and Mary
On Saturday, police detained Somavarpet-based painter Mohammad Rafiq and his relative Punjalkatte-based Saeed alias Qamruddin from Somavarpet.
Both suspects reportedly developed a friendship with Thomas, and Thomas had given Saeed the contract to supply red stone.
Thomas was found murdered in his bedroom while Mary's body was found near the car. Initially it was suspected that family misunderstandings may have led to couple's murder.
But brilliant work by police has now led them to suspects in Somarvarpet with the help of advance mobile tracking facility.
The weapon used for the murder was traced among the bushes a few kilometres away from the couple's house. However, the accused had removed Thomas' SIM card from his phone and used the handset, which helped the police to trace the duo.
With information from the mobile tower near Somavarpet, on the day of Eid-ul-Adha, police picked both Rafiq and Saeed from Somvarpet. Initially, Rafiq told the police that he found the handset near a playground in Kadaba, but later during interrogation he changed his statement and said that he had bought the mobile phone from Thomas for Rs 1,200.
More interesting details are expected on further interrogation, and police suspect that some more persons may be involved in the case.
It is learnt that the accused have pledged the stolen gold with a goldsmith.