Untraced body may weaken murder case

TRICHY: The probe into murder cases involving astrologer Kannan has commenced, but investigators have a daunting task in solving at least one murder attributed to him. Though the 42-year-old had admitted to killing his paramour’s husband, Thangavel, eight years back, so far there is no clue about his body. He is yet to be booked in this case.
The crime branch, criminal investigation department, (CBCID) has taken to its fold all five murder cases in which Kannan played a significant role.Kannan had earlier confessed to murdering Durairaj, a real estate agent and his driver Sakthivel. Their bodies were found charred in a car in January 2007. Meanwhile, he is also accused in the murder of T Selvakumar (22) and T Sathya (24), the children of his lover, Yamuna who had confessed to their killing for objecting the lovers’ plan to sell the family property.
Their bodies were found in the first week of last month. It is said the youth were done to death by their mother with the aid of Kannan. It was after Yamuna and her mother Sitalakshmi were arrested recently that the probe led to Kannan, though he was a suspect in the suspicious death of Durairaj and Sakthivel in 2007. During questioning, Kannan revealed that Thangavel’s body was thrown into a farm near Samayapuram after chopping it, police said. As the bodies of four victims were recovered, police have no difficulty in framing a strong case against Kannan, irrespective of his exact role in the murders of Durairaj, Sakthivel, Selvakumar and Sathya. Police have to recover the body or at least remains of Thangavel, who was reportedly eliminated in 2005, to frame a watertight case in this particular murder case.
The ongoing probe has revealed more personal information about Kannan. He had left his house in Srirangam decades back after a tiff with this father over certain family issues. After doing some odd jobs in Trichy, he moved to Kerala where he learnt astrology and varma kala (a martial art as well as healing technique involving vital points), police said. It is also said that he holds a black belt in karate. He also knows to hypnotize people and can easily win over people with his sweet talk, police added. Police sources said Kannan returned to Srirangam in 2004 and started practising astrology. Devotees coming to the temples in Srirangam were his clients. It is also said he has a special knack to entice women seeking his services.
He had met Yamuna and Sitalakshmi while practising as astrologer. Thangavel, a diamond merchant, soon came to know about Kannan’s growing relation with Yamuna and had warned Kannan. Ultimately, in a fit of rage he murdered Thangavel. Thereafter, Yamuna made her relatives believe that Thangavel left to Andamans for business.
Police are hopeful about recovering at least traces of Thangavel’s body.