Thiruvananthapuram: Shreethu, the mother of a two-year-old girl who was killed in Balaramapuram, has been arrested in connection with a financial fraud case. The arrest was made after a complaint was filed by a man named Shiju, who accused Shreethu of duping him of Rs 10 lakh by promising him a job as a driver in the Devaswom Board. A case has been registered against her for cheating and forging documents, according to the police.

The police informed that Shreethu was arrested on Sunday morning after an investigation revealed evidence of fraud and document forgery. The Rural SP confirmed that Shreethu was questioned by police officers, and her arrest was officially recorded later in the day. In addition to the complaint from Shiju, 10 other individuals have come forward with similar allegations, though only one case has been pursued at this stage. The investigation is ongoing.

Meanwhile, the murder mystery of two-year-old Devendu continues to baffle the authorities. Shreethu's brother, Harikumar (24), who initially confessed to killing the child by throwing her into a well, is in police remand. He is expected to be questioned again on Monday, and it is anticipated that Shreethu will also be questioned further in this regard.

The investigation remains troubled by the lack of clarity around the motive for the crime. Though the body of the child was recovered quickly, the police have yet to gather conclusive evidence to explain the killing. The police conducted a search of the house in Balaramapuram on Saturday, hoping to uncover new leads.

The police have indicated that Harikumar’s statements, which have been inconsistent, are making the investigation more complicated. The only significant piece of evidence so far is some unusual WhatsApp messages exchanged between Harikumar and Shreethu. The police have also been informed that Harikumar has personality disorders. They suspect that his frustration over failed sexual advances towards Shreethu may have led to the child’s murder.

The police are perplexed by the contradictory statements made by Harikumar and are continuing to examine Shreethu's role in the tragedy. On Saturday, they again questioned Shreethu, who lives at the Poojappura Mahila Mandir, to clarify her involvement in the incident. Further investigation also included questioning astrologer Shankumugham Devidasan, who has been linked to the case.

No scientific evidence

Despite releasing several possible theories surrounding the murder, the police are struggling to find scientific evidence to substantiate any of them. According to a report, Harikumar sent a message to Shreethu on the night of January 29, asking her to come to a room. When she entered, Devendu, who had been sleeping, cried leading to Shreethu leaving the room. The report suggests that Harikumar’s feelings of enmity towards both his sister and her child may have led him to kill Devendu by throwing her into the well the following morning.

Shreethu also mentioned in her interrogation that an astrologer had advised her that the problems within the family began with Devendu's birth. According to Shreethu, both she and Devendu had shaved their heads as instructed by the astrologer.

Investigation into Shreethu’s father Udayakumar's death

The investigation has expanded to include the death of Shreethu’s father Udayakumar, who passed away last month. The police will also take Harikumar into custody on Monday for further questioning. They will continue to gather evidence and conduct interviews, including those of Devendu's sister Poornendu and father Sreejith, who were present in the house when the incident occurred.

Locals say the stories are unbelievable...

"All the news we hear seems unbelievable. Harikumar didn’t appear to have any mental issues and rarely spoke to anyone," say locals about him. While his family claims he had a learning disability, he mostly kept to himself.

A neighbour, noticing Harikumar’s mother’s distress, tried to teach him how to read and write but eventually gave up. Locals suspect that Harikumar and Shreethu might be using his mental issues as an excuse to hide things. They also point out that Shreethu and her family did not seem concerned when their daughter went missing. Despite a search being launched, they appeared indifferent even when the child's body was found.

Two weeks ago, Harikumar and Shreethu’s father Udayakumar passed away. Locals find this death suspicious and are questioning the circumstances surrounding it. Shreethu had borrowed money from several people, claiming that Udayakumar had cancer.

However, neighbours say Udayakumar appeared to be in good health before his death, having been seen the day before. They couldn’t believe he died from illness. There are also claims that Shreethu received huge financial help from the villagers, with many having lent her large sums. According to the locals, Shreethu’s mother Sreelatha told them that Shreethu had a job at the Devaswom Board. Local residents are now calling for an investigation into Udayakumar's death, Shreethu’s job and her financial dealings.