Burglary case helps Kerala police blow lid off Mysuru physician’s murder

An investigation into a burglary case has helped the Kerala police crack the case relating to murder of a traditional healer from Mysuru, by a local businessman to allegedly obtain a secret medicinal formula for treating piles, two years ago.

Businessman Shaibin Ashraf, hailing from Kaipancheri here, recently lodged a theft complaint against some of his accomplices, but the interrogation of the latter revealed the heinous torture and murder of the Mysuru healer by him with their help, police said.

Shaba Sharif (60) was subjected to brutal torture in captivity for one year at Ashraf’s residence in Nilambur here seeking the secret formula, after he was abducted from Mysuru in August 2019 by them.

The victim’s body parts were said to be cut into pieces and dumped into a river, Malappuram Superintendent of Police, Sujith Das said on Wednesday.

”Four people including Shaibin Ashraf were arrested and produced before a court. Before that, we have got in touch with the Mysuru police and collected information regarding the deceased man. A missing complaint was lodged by his family in 2019,” he told reporters here.

The police could confirm that it was the same person who was killed under captivity here, based on the visuals collected from a pen drive handed over to the investigators by one of the accused.

”Shaba Sharif was seen chained in the video. It was said to be recorded when he was held hostage in Ashraf’s house,” he said.

Based on the statements of his co-accused, the officer said Ashraf had plans to launch a clinic after getting hold of the secret medicine for piles from the Mysuru healer and reap huge profits.

He also promised a share of the profit to the co-accused but differences cropped up among them later over some financial matters.

This prompted the co-accused to commit theft at Ashraf’s house on April 24. The gang decamped with many valuables, including a laptop and cash, following which a police complaint was lodged by the businessman.

Later, Thangalakathu Ashraf, a former accomplice and one of the accused in the theft case, was arrested from Wayanad district.

Recently, other three accused had created a ruckus in front of the Secretariat in the state capital by attempting self-immolation, claiming that they were being intimidated by the businessman.

The trio was arrested and handed over to the Malappuram police in connection with the burglary case and further interrogation unravelled the mystery behind the murder of the Mysuru medical practitioner.

”It is one of the rarest of the rare case and challenging for the investigators,” the SP said adding that more details were expected to be divulged in detailed inquiry.