The prime suspects in the case pertaining to the gunning down of Special Sub-Inspector of Police Wilson at a check-post near Kaliyakkavilai on January 8, who were subsequently nabbed at Uduppi in Karnataka on Tuesday, were remanded in judicial custody till Monday (January 20).
As Abdul Shameem of Thiruvithancode and Thoufiq of Ilankadai in Nagercoil were produced before him on Thursday night, Kuzhithurai Judicial Magistrate II Jayashankar remanded them in judicial custody till Monday. The police had submitted a petition seeking the custody of the accused. Subsequently, the duo were taken to Palayamkottai Central Prison.
After Abdul Shameem and Thoufiq were nabbed at Uduppi, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Crime) and Investigation Officer of this case Ganesan and 20 armed policemen rushed to Uduppi and brought them to Nagercoil around 4.45 a.m. on Thursday.
They were taken to Kaliyakkavilai police station around 5.30 a.m. for an hour-long inquiry and then to Thuckalay police station for interrogation before being produced before the Judicial Magistrate. Since it was anticipated that both the accused would be produced before the Kuzhithurai Judicial Magistrate to complete the legal formalities, a large number of reporters and lensmen gathered in front of the police station even as Deputy Inspector General of Police, Tirunelveli Range, Praveen Kumar Abinapu and Dr. Shreenath were interrogating the duo.
“The successful operation was a result of combined efforts of Q Branch of Tamil Nadu police, Uduppi District Police and Kanniyakumari Police,” said Dr. Shreenath.
During interrogation, the duo reportedly told the police that they, who were agitated over the sustained targeting of Islamic radicals and their arrests by Tamil Nadu police and the arrest of Khader Moideen in New Delhi recently along with Ali Nawaz from Kanniyakumari district, gunned down Wilson as a random target.
Shameem and Thoufiq, who came from Neyyatinkara in Kerala in an autorickshaw to orchestrate the crime, returned to Injivilai near Parasala on foot after gunning down Wilson. Then they took a vehicle to reach Thiruvananthapuram from where they left for Uduppi following instruction from their handlers.
Anticipating a huge crowd, Tamil Nadu Police’s commando force was deployed at Thuckalay police station and also near the court.
Shameem and Thoufiq were brought out of Thuckalay police station amidst tight security at 8.45 p.m. and taken to the court.
“Since the Tamil Nadu police arrested their associates with arms and ammunitions that thwarted their plots, the duo shot dead Wilson in an attempt to terrorise the policece,” Mr. Shreenath told the waiting reporters.
The SP said they could extract more information from the accused when they took them in their custody.
