KOCHI: A place where even the police are afraid to go. Muniguda, a Maoist village in Odisha. The special investigation team arrested Gopal Malik (22) in the Muvattupuzha double murder case within 48 hours after risking their lives in the village where a Maoist attack could be expected at any moment. The Muvattupuzha squad returned to Kerala with the accused like the Mammootty film 'Kannur Squad', the investigative prowess of the Kerala Police. The four-day adventure to the accused is as follows

Day 1
A phone call to Muvattupuzha police on Sunday afternoon. Two migrant labourers were found dead with deep wounds on their necks at Anikad Company Padi. The police reached the spot and confirmed it as a murder. Mohanthar Swargayari (40) and Dipankar Basumatri (37), natives of Assam, who were workers in the wood mill, were killed. The picture was clear when Gopal Malik, who was with them was found missing. The goal was to catch Gopal before he leaves Kerala. The search failed on the first day as his phone was found to be switched off.

Day 2
There was a turning point on Monday morning. Aadhaar card verification revealed that Gopal had taken another SIM and it was active. The SIM was found to be traveling from Chennai to Andhra Pradesh. Without wasting a minute, the five-member team left to Odisha in an Innova car. Gopal's tower location was far behind the investigation team till noon. In the evening, the story changed. Gopal was ahead of them. The information was passed to Aluva Rural SP. The SP sought the help of DySP. Gopal who disembarked from the train in Raigarh was detained by the Munigurda police and this was informed to the SP.

Day 3
Reached Muniguda police station in the evening after covering 300 kms. There was four Gopal Maliks there. Four suspects were detained. The police identified the Gopal they were searching. He confessed to the crime during interrogation. The Odisha police failed to cooperate after knowing that the accused was a native of Muniguda. The situation will change if the locals know. The accused was not even allowed to stay in the station. The investigation team was guarding him to face anything.

Day 4

Gopal was produced in the Muniguda Magistrate's Court secretly and obtained a transit warrant. By evening left to Kerala. Spent time in Odisha without food and water. The team traveled 3,600 km. All five took turns to drive the car.

Gopal came to Muvattupuzha six months ago. Stayed with the victims. Both had complained to the mill owner that money was being stolen since his arrival. On Saturday, while consuming liquor they said the people of Odisha are thieves and that Gopal was behind the loss of money. He got angry and left and then returned after an hour. Both of them were lying down listening to music and he hacked the two to death with the knife. Gopal stayed there till 3 am and then walked to Muvattupuzha. From there he reached Aluva and left for Chennai by train.

He had stolen the mobile phones of the two. The question about this led to the confession. The delay of Gopal's train by eight hours helped the investigation. The investigation team said that if he had entered Muniguda village, they would not have been able to find him.