T’puram: Thiruvallom police on Saturday arrested a murder accused for allegedly threatening a key witness in a 2016 murder case currently under trial in a court in Vanchiyoor.The arrested person is Ratheesh alias Mullan Ratheesh (48), of Kalliyoor. Police said he is the first accused in a murder case registered by Valiyathura police in 2016.According to police, the latest case was registered following a complaint by Sajeev Kumar (44), also of Palapur, who is the eighth witness in the murder case. The complainant alleged that Ratheesh threatened him near the accused’s residence on Wednesday.Police said the accused verbally abused Sajeev and warned him against testifying in court. He allegedly threatened the witness by shouting that he would “bury him” just as he had done to the murder victim.The 2016 case pertains to the killing of a youth who had gone missing and was later found buried in the compound of an unoccupied house in Palapur area.Based on the complaint, Thiruvallom police registered a case. Following a probe, the accused was taken into custody. The accused was produced before a court and remanded in judicial custody.
