The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the serial murders of Koodathayi in Kozhikode, allegedly carried out by a woman named Jolly Amma Joseph, has been expanded, with 25 more members being added to the existing 10-member team.
A 10-member team headed by Kozhikode Rural SP KG Simon was investigating the case. North Zone IG Ashok Yadav will monitor the investigation by the expanded team. The new team has two Assistant Superintendents of Police and two DySPs.
Jolly, the prime accused in the case, is in judicial custody. She will be presented before the court on Thursday.
Kannur ASP Shilpa, Nadapuram ASP Ankit Asokan, Thamarasseey DySP KP Abdul Razak and Thalassery DySP Venugopal KV have been included in the expanded team, while a special team headed by IT cell police superintendent Dr Divya V Gopinath has been included in the team for providing technical help.
The expanded team also has the Forensic Science Laboratory director, Finger Print Bureau director, Kannur Regional Forensic Science Laboratory director and heads of biology department of regional Forensic Science Laboratory Kannur, Serology department of Forensic Science Laboratory Thiruvananthapuram and Forensic department of Kerala police academy Thrissur as its members.
An IPS officer with the CBI remarked that this big a team was unheard of and perhaps not necessary. However, former state police chief Jacob Punnose told TNM that it's usual to form massive teams in crime cases similar to this, where there would be multiple crimes or crimes that happened in the past in which there are too many links to examine. A DGP also echoed the opinion: "Massive teams have been formed in the past too where the gravity of the crime was severe, the nature was rare, and the investigation becomes a big task," he told TNM.
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