In a shocking twist, a case initially believed to be a suicide in Kozhikode has now been uncovered as a premeditated murder, with police arresting a 36-year-old man for killing his young relative.
The incident came to light after a 26-year-old woman was found in critical condition at an industrial unit in a village under the Elathur police station limits on January 24. She later died, and the case was first treated as a suicide based on the accused&rsquo;s account.
According to investigators, the accused, identified as Vaisakh, claimed that he discovered the woman hanging inside the unit, which he owns, and rushed her to the hospital with the help of his wife. However, inconsistencies in his statement prompted a deeper investigation, eventually exposing a carefully planned crime.
Police revealed that Vaisakh allegedly lured the woman to the industrial unit under the pretext of a suicide pact, convincing her that they should end their lives together. To make the act appear genuine, he prepared two nooses at the spot. When the woman placed her neck into the loop, he allegedly kicked away the stool, killing her.
Investigators said the accused then attempted to strengthen his fabricated version by calling his wife to the scene and acting as if he was shocked to discover the &ldquo;suicide&rdquo;. The case took a more disturbing turn when forensic analysis suggested that the victim was sexually assaulted while she was hanging and even after she was brought down.
Police further said the accused planned to return later that night to destroy the CCTV hard drive at the unit to erase digital evidence. However, officers grew suspicious of his narrative and immediately sealed the premises, ensuring that crucial CCTV footage was preserved.
The secured digital evidence proved to be the turning point in the investigation. During sustained interrogation, Vaisakh reportedly confessed to the crime. He admitted that he was in a relationship with the woman and felt cornered as she was pressuring him to marry her. To escape the situation, he decided to eliminate her, police said.
Officials credited the swift action of the investigation team, particularly the decision to seal the unit and safeguard electronic evidence, for cracking the case and preventing the destruction of key evidence.

Police arrest relative after probe reveals staged suicide and sexual assault

Kozhikode Suicide Case Turns Out to Be Murder

Police arrest relative after probe reveals staged suicide and sexual assault

January 27, 2026 | 15:46 IST