THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Neyyattinkara DySP Harikumar, the accused in Sanal murder case, is believed to have fled to Tamil Nadu.

Soon after the incident, Harikumar escaped to Madurai in Tamil Nadu, according to sources. A police team has gone to Madurai to trace him, however.

The official explanation is that police would be launching an extensive search after forming 10 groups.

Meanwhile, there is allegation that delay in issuing look-out notice for him is due to his top-level connections in the police force.

The instruction the police have given to Sanal Kumar’s family is to cooperate with the investigation rather than demanding the immediate arrest of the accused DySP.

There are also rumours that soon after the murder of Sanal Kumar, the DySP was under the protection of a leader of Police Officers’ Association for one whole day.

The mobile phone of Harikumar is switched of. Though he is infamous for corruption, irregularities and criminal offences, certain top police officers have been trying to avoid his arrest, according to sources. He is also known to have been making legal moves to get anticipatory bail.