The investigation into the death of a man near Kannur railway station has ended with police tracking the accused to Visakhapatnam.

Kannur Town Police arrested 33-year-old Robin, a native of Muhamma in Alappuzha, in connection with the death of Chandran, 56, who was found seriously injured near the shopping complex outside Kannur railway station.

The incident took place around 8 pm on June 25. Chandran, a native of Thiruvananthapuram who had been living around the railway station, was allegedly assaulted during a quarrel involving a group of people after drinking.

Chandran was taken for treatment but died at 1.45 pm on July 2 at Government Medical College Hospital, Pariyaram. As he had no relatives at the hospital, police were initially informed about the death as an unnatural death.

Kannur Town Police registered a case under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and began investigating how Chandran sustained the injuries. The probe soon indicated that he had been assaulted.

Robin's disappearance raises suspicion

Police questioned people who regularly stayed or worked around the railway station and old bus stand. Their enquiries revealed that Robin, who had been staying in the railway station area for some time, had disappeared after the incident.

CCTV footage from shops and other establishments around the station was examined. Investigators also received information that someone had seen Robin crossing the railway overbridge, but his subsequent movements remained unclear.

The probe faced another difficulty: Robin did not use a mobile phone.

Father's phone call provides breakthrough

Investigators then traced Robin's family connections and learnt that his father, Sajan Sabu, lived in Muhamma. Enquiries there indicated that Robin had not visited home for several years but occasionally contacted his father using other people's phones.

Police monitored the father's call records and examined hundreds of recent calls. One number attracted attention because there were no other calls linked to it before or after the contact.

The number was traced to the area near Visakhapatnam port. The person using it initially avoided investigators. Police eventually travelled to Visakhapatnam and traced him.

Police search workers' sheds

The man identified Robin from his photograph but gave limited information about him. Investigators then reached a settlement near the port where more than 200 workers, mainly migrant labourers, were staying in makeshift sheds.

Police, with assistance from Visakhapatnam Police, checked the sheds one by one at night. The operation faced protests from workers, but the team continued the search after explaining the circumstances.

Robin was eventually found inside one of the sheds. Police said he tried to escape but was chased and overpowered.

He was arrested and brought back to Kannur. The operation was conducted by a team led by ACP and Town Inspector Mahesh Kandambeth, along with members of the City Police Commissioner's special investigation team.