THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Ten people have been taken into custody in the case of hacking a youth to death in Pothencode. Sudheesh (32) of Lakshamveedu Colony in Chembakamangalam, Mangalapuram was hacked to death by a 12-member team who came in bikes and autos. The police said three have a direct involvement in the murder. The auto and the bikes travelled by the accused have been taken into custody. The person who threw the severed foot of the victim while returning after committing the crime has also been nabbed.

The assailants arrived at 2.45 pm yesterday afternoon. The gang cornered the victim at a palm field near Kalloor. Fearing for his life, he ran to his relative residence nearby and the assailants who followed him there hacked him using sharp weapons. They also attacked the baby present in the house.

The assailants chopped off the victim’s leg and took the severed foot and celebrated with it at Kalloor Veterinary Hospital Junction. They later threw it in the middle of the road around half a kilometre away from the crime scene. The police have collected the CCTV footages of the celebrations.

Indications are that the motive for the murder was a revenge for killing a goonda leader's friend. Sudheesh revealed the names of notorious goonda Ottakam Rajesh and Azhoor Unni, who hacked him, to the police before losing consciousness. Sudheesh is survived by his wife and two kids.