Vyttila murder: Probe reveals assault on woman’s face

Kochi: Investigation into the murder of Sudha Baby, a native of Chingavanam in Kottayam, revealed that she was subjected to brutal assault, according to city police.Police on Wednesday conducted detailed evidence collection under Vyttila flyover in Kochi, where the crime took place, in the presence of Shaji KV (63), the accused.Investigators found that Baby (45) was repeatedly punched in the face. When she screamed, Shaji allegedly covered her mouth and nose to silence her, police said.Addressing reporters on Wednesday, Kochi city police commissioner Aswathy Jiji said the accused and the victim were in a relationship for several years. Shaji allegedly decided to murder Baby, fearing that their relationship would adversely affect his family life. "He assaulted her with his fist on her face, including her nose and head. No weapon was used in the crime," Jiji said.Police said significant evidence was recovered from the scene, including bloodstains and material from the vehicle Shaji allegedly used. Police ruled out the involvement of any other person in the crime.According to police, after the assault, Shaji attempted to stage the crime as a railway accident by placing the body on a railway track. However, the plan failed as trains don't frequently operate on that particular stretch. The body was spotted around 1.45am by the loco pilot of an express train, following which railway police force and local police were alerted.Inquest proceedings were completed on Tuesday and postmortem examination was conducted at Kalamassery medical college. After evidence collection procedures, Shaji was produced before court and remanded in custody.