No clue in Kumari double murder

NAGERCOIL: No clues have emerged in the sensational gunning down of a Forest Department employee and his wife on the Akkarai-Theroor Road in Kanyakumari district last month, although it is 40 days since the police began investigations.Suspicions that a timber smuggling mafia could have eliminated Arumugam (50), an office assistant in the Forest Department and his wife Yogeswari, have prompted family members of the couple to allege that the police is going slow in picking up leads. The family is yet to receive a copy of the postmortem report of the murdered couple. Arumugam and his wife were shot dead when they were returning home on a two-wheeler on Nov 10. It was alleged that Arumugam was killed since he had not cooperated with a timber smuggling mafia.The district police had formed several special teams to probe the  murder. But till date they have not been able to retrieve any clinching evidence about the identity of the criminals. Frustrated relatives of the couple say they have begun to lose faith in the investigations by the State police. Since there are apprehensions about the involvement of powerful elements, they are suggesting that the case must be handed over to the CBI.“The police have harassed us in the name of inquiry. Even on Monday night, the police came knocking on our doors past midnight,” alleges a relative of Arumugam. “Of late, the policemen are not responding to suspicions raised by us. When State Forest Minister K T Patchiammal had visited our home, the Kanyakumari Deputy SP said the investigations were almost over in the case. It’s 40 days now but nothing has moved,” rues Muthukumar, the deceased couple’s son.There is no progress in granting any of the couple’s legal heirs a government job as assured by the minister. The family plan to stage a demonstration on December 23 seeking a CBI probe.