KOYILANDY: Police term the death of the student who ate ice cream in Arikullam as murder. The child's paternal aunt Tahira (38), who was arrested by the Koyilandy police in the incident, was remanded by the Koyilandy Magistrate Court.

Ahmed Hasan Rifai (12), son of Koroth Muhammadali of Arikkulam, died in a private hospital in Kozhikode the other day. The cause of death was revealed to be rat poison mixed in the ice cream. The poison was added to the ice cream bought from a shop in Arikkulam. During interrogation, Tahira admitted that the poison was aimed at Muhammadali's wife. Since they were not home, the son alone ate the ice cream. The child had sought treatment at a clinic in Muthambi and Meppayurl after feeling unwell since eating the ice cream. Later, he was admitted to the Koyilandy Taluk Hospital but was advised to be shifted to the Kozhikode Medical College. The child was admitted to a private hospital and died in the morning.

The Health Department, Food Safety Department, Police and Forensic Department collected samples from the ice cream shop in Arikkulam and closed the shop later. Ammonium Phosphorus was found in the postmortem of the body. After the incident, the Koilandi police had taken statements from several people, after which they approached the accused. The accused admitted that she tried to kill Muhammadali's wife because of personal enmity. Police said that Tahira had mental problems.