The body of a man who went missing one week ago was found buried near a resort in Shanthanpara in Kerala’s Idukki district on Thursday. Rijosh, 38, who lived near the Mushroom Hut Resort, was found buried in the compound of the resort. The body was found in a sack.
Four days ago, Rijosh’s wife, 29-year-old Liji and the resort’s manager Waseem, who hailed from Thrissur, went missing. Following this, Rijosh’s relatives suspected Liji’s involvement in the case and filed a police complaint.
"Before the manager left the resort, he had hired a JCB to fill soil in an area near the resort. The JCB driver had said that soil had already been moved around in that area and they just were asked to put some more soil on top. Later, police found that a huge pit was closed in the area, following which the police and forensic officials conducted a search there," a police officer at Shanthanpara said.
The police added that Liji and Waseem are still absconding and further details will be known only after an investigation.
Though Rijosh had gone missing one week ago, his relatives did not feel there was anything suspicious, nor did they feel that he could have been murdered. However, when Liji went missing, they were alerted about his disappearance. Liji had lodged a missing persons complaint at the police station soon after Rijosh went missing.
Meanwhile, the resort owner Waseem has reportedly sent a video to his brother, confessing that he killed Rijosh. He has also said in the video that no one else is involved . The video has been handed over to police.
It was in last January that a resort owner and a staff member were found dead in a cardamom plantation in Shanthanpara. The deceased were identified as Jacob Varghese alias Rajesh (40) of Kottayam, and Muthayya (52) of Periyakanal. Jacob was shot dead using his own gun and Muthayya had succumbed to severe injuries in his head. The bodies were found a week after they went missing. Rajesh, a supervisor of the resort has been absconding ever since.