THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The man who went into hiding after throwing acid on CPI leader Sudheer Khan's face in Maranallur was found dead in Tamil Nadu. Saji, the accused in the incident, was found to have committed suicide at a lodge in Madurai.

AR Sudheer Khan is the Secretary of CPI Maranallur Local Committee and Chairman of Standing Committee of Gram Panchayat Development Affairs. The accused Saji Kumar is a CPI constituency committee member and former local committee secretary. Likely, a dispute related to a dairy cooperative led to the attack. Sudheer Khan suffered more injuries to his face.

The police learned that Saji Kumar, who had left the state after the attack, was in Tamil Nadu using the tower location. Later, while trying to catch him, Saji was found dead in his lodge room in Madurai. Maranallur police has left for Madurai.

The injured Sudheer Khan is undergoing treatment at the Medical College Hospital. Sudheer, who suffered around 45 percent burns, is now out of danger but is still in the intensive care unit.