'Wanted her in close range'; Woman doctor taken for evidence collection in Vanchiyoor shooting case

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Police started evidence collection with the woman doctor who disguised as a courier delivery person and fired gunshots at a housewife in Vanchiyoor. The accused will be taken to her husband’s quarters in Parippally on Tuesday where she confessed to hiding the air gun used in the attack. If her information was false, the police would search her house in Kottayam. If again facing trouble in finding the gun, the police will charge another case against the accused.

The doctor was brought to Shini's house in Palkulangara Chembakassery on Monday as part of evidence collection. While showing how she reached the place, the doctor admitted that she would have left the place if Shini failed to show up. However, she later confessed that she was sure to meet Shini as the latter had to sign the courier. The accused decided to do the attack in the pretence of delivering a courier, only to get Shini on close range.

The Judicial First Class Magistrate Court remanded the doctor to four days' custody after the police informed the need to take the accused to Kollam, Ernakulam and Kottayam as part of evidence collection. The gun and the clothes worn at the time of the shooting should also be recovered.

Assistant Public Prosecutor A. Manmohan argued that she should be taken to the shop in Ernakulam where the fake number plate was made and to the hospital in Kollam where she worked. The court did not accept the defence's arguments that the detention of the accused was to torture her physically and mentally.

• A pellet that penetrated Shini's left arm was surgically removed.

• The car belonging to the accused’s father-in-law was taken into custody from the husband's house in Ayoor, Kollam.

• The accused’s phone was seized. The air gun was purchased online using this phone.

• If the gun is seized, it will be produced in the court and then sent to the lab for testing.

• Ballistic and forensic tests will be conducted to find out whether the shot was fired from this gun.