Thanjavur youth's murder: Love tangle suspected

THANJAVUR: What was thought to be a case of kidnap and murder for ransom, now appears to be a murder in the wake of a love tangle at Kumbakonam near here on Saturday. 

It may be recalled that body of Mumthasar (20), son of Sahul Hameed of Avaniyapuram near Aduthurai near Kumbakonam, who was studying at A.V.C. Engineering College, Mayiladuthurai, was found lying with throat split on the bank of Veeracholanar at Thirubuvanam on Saturday morning. 

According to a police complaint filed by uncle of Mumthasar, the youth was staying with his mother Mumtaz Begum and his father is abroad. Mumthasar left his house at 6.30 pm. On Friday, saying he was going to his sister’s house at Thirumangalakudi on his bike. Later, he called his mother and said that he was going to his friend’s house at Thiruvidaimaruthur. 

But at 8.30 pm, Mumtaz Begum received a call from some unknown person who said they have kidnapped her son and demanded a ransom of '5 lakh for his safe release, adding, they were on the way to Coimbatore. Police traced that call to Thirubhuvanam area. 

Based on that input, the police continued the investigation and zeroed in on Ijas Ahamed (20) son of Mohammed Rafeeq of Thirubuvanam. He confessed that he killed Mumthasar along with his friends by calling him to a birthday party. 

He also revealed that he and Mumthasar were friends and completed Plus-2 class in a private school two years back. Later Mumthasar joined Engineering college while Ijas Ahamed joined Industrial Training Institute at Tiruchy. 

Ijas apparently fell in love with a girl from Madurai, who was studying in a college at Tiruchy. He used to send messages through instagram, claimed the police. Mumthasar also used to send like messages the same way. 

Ijas also confessed that Mumthasar used to tease him saying that the girl will marry only an Engineering student and not an ITI-trained student. Irked by this and also in the doubt that she may not marry him, Ijas planned to murder Mumthasar, police claimed. 

He along with his two friends, Mohamed Jalaludheen (19) and Mohamed Shameer (19) of Thirubuvanam called Mumthasar for a birthday party. “We blindfolded him and when he asked where is the cake, we said that he is the cake and slit open his throat using a sickle used in mutton shop. Later we threw his body on the banks of Veeracholanar at Thirubuvnam and his bike and sickle in a river and escaped in autorickshaw,” Ijas Ahamed reportedly told the police. Ijaz also reportedly confessed that they had enacted a kidnap drama as part of the plot. The police arrested all three on Sunday.