Police Arrest Friend of Second Accused in Abhiram Murder Case in Thiruvananthapuram

Arrest Made

The Thiruvananthapuram City police arrested a woman named Aishwarya in connection with the Abhiram murder case. She is a friend of Umar Muqthar, who is the second accused in the case. Police had earlier taken her into custody for questioning and let her go. She was arrested again on suspicion that she knew about the murder.

Investigation Details

Investigators are questioning Aishwarya to find out how involved she was in the crime. Police state that Umar tried to fool them by leaving his phone at home when he went to meet Abhiram at Pangappara. Umar is a history-sheeter who had been held under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities Prevention Act before being released in September. Investigators believe Umar told Aishwarya to call him, left his phone behind while on that call, and went to Pangappara where he and a 17-year-old juvenile suspect allegedly committed the murder. Police believe this was done to create a false alibi and make it look like he was not at the crime scene. Meanwhile, the phone of the third accused, Ananda, used to call Abhiram, is still missing. Police recovered some deleted Instagram chats of Abhiram from Umar's phone. Investigators also think that photographs of Ananda shared among friends provoked the attackers. The victim, Plus Two student Abhiram M.D. from Sangeetha Nagar in Pangappara, was killed on November 1, 2026, over a dispute linked to a romantic relationship. Police suspect the attackers originally planned a double murder targeting Abhiram and a friend close to the first accused person's ex-girlfriend.

Political Reactions

Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala visited Abhiram's family at Sangeetha Nagar. Earlier, Left Democratic Front leaders and MLAs G.R. Anil and K. Rajan visited the family and connected Abhiram's mother, Dharmaja, with the Home Minister over the phone. The family claims the murder was planned in advance and urged the minister to set up a special investigation team and appoint a special prosecutor. The Home Minister stated that an appropriate decision would be taken after looking into the matter.

Context

Criminal investigations in high-profile murder cases often involve tracing mobile phone records and communication apps to establish timelines and uncover hidden motives. Police frequently re-examine suspects and acquaintances as new digital evidence comes to light during the inquiry.