Kannur Murder Case Cracked: Crime Branch Nabs Two Women After 8-Year Manhunt
In a significant breakthrough, the Kerala Crime Branch has successfully apprehended two women from their hideout in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, in connection with the brutal robbery and murder of an elderly woman that occurred in Kannur back in 2016. This arrest marks the culmination of an intensive, decade-long manhunt that spanned multiple states across India.
Details of the Arrest and Accused
The arrested individuals have been identified as Parveen Banu, aged 55, and her daughter Sakkeena Fathima, aged 32, both originally hailing from Nangloi in New Delhi. A third accused, Banu's son, remains at large and is currently absconding. The trio had been evading law enforcement since the tragic murder of Meradan Kunjamina, a 60-year-old resident of Siddique Nagar under the Irikkur police station limits in Kannur, which took place on April 30, 2016.
A specialized crime branch team, under the leadership of Superintendent of Police P Balakrishnan Nair, meticulously traced the suspects to Ujjain and executed their arrest with crucial support from local police authorities. Following their capture, the accused were presented before the Kannur court, where they were remanded to judicial custody. Police officials have indicated that they will be seeking custody of the women for further, in-depth investigation into the case.
Modus Operandi and Crime Scene
According to police reports, the accused trio had rented a house in close proximity to Kunjamina's residence, posing as textile traders to blend into the community. They deliberately befriended the elderly woman and gradually gained her trust, all while harboring malicious intentions to commit the crime. On the fateful day of the incident, they invited Kunjamina to their rented accommodation under false pretenses and launched a vicious attack using deadly weapons.
The elderly victim suffered multiple stab injuries to her neck, chest, and abdomen, which proved fatal. After ensuring her death, the perpetrators fled the scene, making off with valuable items including a gold chain weighing approximately two-and-a-half sovereigns, a bangle, and an undisclosed amount of cash. The local police initially handled the investigation after a case was registered at the Irikkur station, but the complexity of the case led to its transfer to the state crime branch in 2024 for a more focused probe.
Evasion Tactics and Criminal History
Police investigations have revealed that the arrested women were also implicated in a similar crime registered in Andhra Pradesh. However, they managed to secure bail in that case and subsequently fled to Kerala to avoid further legal repercussions. The accused demonstrated a high level of vigilance in evading arrest, employing sophisticated tactics to stay under the radar.
They frequently rented houses using fake documents and assumed identities, such as the aliases Soumya Rangavala and Sameera Rangavala in Kannur. Additionally, they obtained SIM cards by fraudulently using other individuals' documents. Their strategy involved constantly changing locations to avoid detection, staying at various places across Kannur, Kasaragod, Wayanad, Malappuram, Palakkad, and Thiruvananthapuram within Kerala.
To further elude capture, the women traveled extensively to other states, including Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Delhi. A key factor in their ability to move seamlessly across different regions was their fluency in multiple languages, such as English, Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil, Gujarati, Kannada, and Telugu, which helped them avoid suspicion and blend into diverse communities.
This arrest underscores the relentless efforts of the Kerala Crime Branch in pursuing justice, even in cases that have remained unresolved for years, and highlights the challenges faced by law enforcement in tracking down criminals who employ deceptive practices to evade the law.
