Kerala: 17-year-old boy murdered after being used as bait to lure another teen

The 17-year-old boy murdered in Thiruvananthapuram was allegedly used as bait to lure another teenager whom the accused had planned to kill over a personal dispute, the city police have said. Investigators suspect that the murder was part of a premeditated plan, with the first accused – a 17-year-old boy – discussing the killing days in advance and sharing a photograph of an axe with an 18-year-old girl who is among those arrested.

City Police Commissioner Arul RB Krishna said the accused had intended to use the victim, MD Abhiram, to bring his friend to an isolated location in Pangappara. However, when Abhiram did not cooperate, the plan allegedly took a different turn, resulting in his murder.

Abhiram, a plus-two student and resident of Sreekaryam, went missing on the night of November 1. His body was found in an isolated area at Pangappara, near Sreekaryam, on the evening of November 2. The police subsequently arrested three persons, a 17-year-old boy (first accused), an 18-year-old girl (third accused) and Umar Muqthar (second accused), who had been detained under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA).

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, November 4, the Commissioner said the first accused had discussed killing the intended target with the girl two to three days before the incident. He had also shared a photograph of an axe with her on WhatsApp, indicating that the attack had been planned.

"The boy (Abhiram) was deliberately summoned to that location with a specific intention," the Commissioner said, adding that the police were still investigating whom the accused had originally intended to target.

According to the Commissioner, the plan was to use Abhiram to bring another boy, whom the first accused considered an enemy, to the location. However, when Abhiram did not cooperate, the situation escalated and led to his murder.

Police suspect a dispute linked to the first accused's previous personal relationship was behind the plan. The accused and Abhiram were not necessarily close friends, but they lived in neighbouring areas and had some mutual acquaintances, the Commissioner said.

The police are also examining the role of the 18-year-old girl, who allegedly helped summon Abhiram to the location. The Commissioner said she was aware of the developments leading up to the crime, including the use of her identity by the first accused to communicate with the deceased.

"She knew why the deceased boy was being called to the location. She also had an idea that there was a possibility that the boys would be assaulted there," the officer said.

“Based on what we have found so far, this was an extreme act that involved considerable preparation. They had even purchased a sack from a shop to conceal what they had done. Nobody would go to such lengths if something had happened accidentally. This was a fully planned act,” he added.

The police are yet to establish whether she directly participated in the murder. However, the investigation has raised suspicions that she may have helped the accused destroy evidence after the crime.

The Commissioner said the accused had allegedly attempted to get rid of crucial evidence, including clothing and a mobile phone. The case was initially registered as a missing-person complaint on the night of the first. Since the missing person was a minor, a team led by a Circle Inspector was assigned to investigate.

The police received information suggesting possible foul play around 10 or 11 am the following morning. Further inquiries into the backgrounds of the suspected persons revealed that one of them had a history under KAAPA and another was his associate. The shadow police team subsequently worked on the leads, the Commissioner said.

He added that CCTV footage, digital evidence, mobile tower locations and tower dump data had helped investigators identify the accused. These were among the crucial leads that could not be easily destroyed or concealed by the suspects.

The Commissioner also pointed to the criminal histories of the first and second accused. Both had figured in an earlier case registered at the Sreekaryam police station. Umar, the second accused in the present case, had been released from preventive detention under KAAPA on September 1.

The police are also examining the possible involvement of additional persons who may have known about the crime or offered to help conceal or destroy evidence. The Commissioner said the investigation was still at an early stage and that the possibility of more arrests had not been ruled out.