Kottayam: Evidence collection is underway at the scene of the Thiruvathukkal double murder case, with the arrested accused, Amit Orang, being brought to the vicinity of the crime. During the investigation, police recovered a hard disk—considered a key piece of evidence—from a stream near the house where the murder of a couple, identified as Vijayakumar (64), owner of Indraprastham Auditorium and Tourist Home in Kottayam, and his wife Meera(60), occurred. Two mobile phones allegedly discarded by the accused are yet to be found, and a search is currently ongoing for the same.

The police are currently conducting searches in the Aruthooty stream, located about 200 metres from CMS College, Kottayam. According to the accused’s statement, he arrived at Thiruvathukkal from Kottayam in an auto-rickshaw. The crime scene was only about 150 metres from where he alighted. He reportedly walked to the house, committed the murders and then returned to Kottayam on foot.

It was while walking back to the lodge where he had been staying in Kottayam that he allegedly threw two mobile phones into the stream. Although the accused possessed around 10 mobile phones and some 20 SIM cards, the police are probing why only these two phones were discarded. Investigators suspect that these particular devices might contain incriminating evidence.

The police hope the phones will shed light on whether Amit had any accomplices in committing the murders. The phones in question were reportedly the ones he was actively using. Alongside throwing the DVR (digital video recorder) of the CCTV system into the stream, this act is being seen as part of a broader attempt by the accused to destroy evidence.

After allegedly committing the murders, Amit took his belongings and went to his brother’s residence in Thrissur, from where he was eventually arrested. 

The hard disk was recovered from a stream located roughly 300 metres from the house where the murders took place. According to the accused’s statement, the mobile phones were discarded in the same area.