Thrissur: A man who allegedly disguised himself as a woman to murder his former girlfriend, along with four of his friends, has been taken into custody by the Guruvayur Police.
The detained men have been identified as Bineesh, Stephen, Shahid, Prasad and Adarsh, all natives of Thodupuzha in Idukki district. The incident occurred around 8.30 pm on Tuesday (August 4).
According to police, local residents noticed a person dressed as a woman behaving suspiciously near a juice shop close to the Manjulal Parking Ground in Guruvayur. They alerted the police, who took the individual into custody for questioning.
Police said inconsistencies in his statements prompted a further investigation, during which four more men were detained from a car bearing a Thodupuzha registration number parked nearby. Officers also seized 16 grams of cannabis from the vehicle.
Preliminary investigation revealed that Prasad had previously been in a relationship with a woman who worked at a spa. The couple reportedly separated a few months ago, after which the woman moved to Thrissur for work.
Police said Prasad allegedly confessed that he planned to enter the lodge where the woman was staying, disguised as a woman, and kill her out of resentment over the breakup.
Investigators are also examining the role of the other four men in the alleged conspiracy. The accused have been booked under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 112 (organised crime), along with provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act for possession of cannabis.
Police said the investigation is ongoing, and the suspects are being questioned in detail.
Prasad already has criminal cases.