UAE | Crime
Prime suspect in murder case commits suicide in Abu Dhabi
Man hangs himself after being asked to return to India for interrogation related to the killing of an elderly woman
- By Rayeesa Absal, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:15 April 17, 2008
- Image Credit:
- Sibi Ramu and Sulochana.
Abu Dhabi: The main suspect in a murder case in India committed suicide in Bida Zayed, in the western region of Abu Dhabi, after constantly being chased by Indian criminal investigation officials, Gulf News has learnt.
Sibi Ramu, a 26-year-old Indian from Kodungalor in Kerala, committed suicide on April 7 in the workshop where he worked, Abu Dhabi Police confirmed.
The man hanged himself after he was asked to return home for interrogation related to the murder of a 65-year-old woman, Sulochana.
On August 12, 2005, Sulochana was brutally murdered when she suffered a blow to the head with an iron bar in her home. She used to live with her husband Chathunny who suffered from Alzheimer's.
According to Indian police, Rintu, a 19-year-old neighbour and grade 12 student, helped the aged couple around the house.
Rintu spent the night at the couple's home where she secretly met her lover Sibi. On the fatal night, at around 10pm Sulochana caught the lovers together. She warned them that she would inform their parents about their relationship and sent Sibi out of the house.
At 2.30am that night, police believe, Sibi returned with a sharp edged iron bar. After gaining entry with the help of his girlfriend, he dialed the number 161 from the phone to receive a call back from the service provider.
Upon hearing the phone ringing, Sulochana awoke and came out to answer it when Sibi allegedly hit her on the head with the iron bar, killing her. Her head was cut open by the blow.
Rintu instantly told the neighbours, saying Sulo-chana was killed while trying to prevent a theft.
After months of investigation by the local police, the case had nearly come to a close. Meanwhile, Sibi got a job in Bida Zayed and came to the UAE.
Eighteen months after the murder, the Kerala High Court ordered the case to be transferred to the police crime branch.
Over 50 people were interrogated and Sibi was not believed to be involved until Rintu was brought in for interrogation. She was arrested on April 8 at her workplace and asked to undergo a polygraph test.
Aftger Rintu said that she kept the murder a secret because Sibi had promised to marry her, investigators kept Sibi under surveillance as the prime suspect.
His current employers with whom he worked for 11 months had no clue about his past. "Sibi was asked to be in Kerala for 2-3 days for interrogation. He must have been receiving calls for the past 10-15 days. After calls to him went futile, the Indian police called me and informed me about the murder case and said that he must return to India at once," said the workshop operator.
Pressure built up on Sibi as his employers were also informed and he was given a ticket to go to Kerala on April 7. He even called and informed his family about his trip and claimed that Rintu's statement was false.
However, without waiting to go through the trial, Sibi committed suicide at about 3pm that day.
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