Date:09/06/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/06/09/stories/2003060903880300.htm

Southern States - Kerala

Sebastian case: body to be exhumed for identification

By Our Staff Reporter

KOLLAM June 8. An unidentified body answering some of the descriptions of the missing CPI(M) leader, Prasad Sebastian, as provided by his relatives and found five days ago on the outskirts of Chennai city has compelled the Chennai police to summon Sebastian's relatives for identification procedure.

The Joint Commissioner of Police (Chennai North), M.K. Jha, told The Hindu over telephone that the body, in a decomposed state, was found lying by the railway tracks near Thiruvalloor. Since no one came forward to claim the body it was buried following a post mortem by the Thiruvalloor police after registering a case on June 5.

It was a few days before that the Chennai police began investigating the case of Prasad Sebastian who went missing from the city.

Three suspects, residing at Chennai, were also taken into custody and interrogated. The interrogations went on for several days and the police had even finalised a polygram test for the three.

It was in the midst of these developments that the investigating officers began concentrating on the unidentified body found at Thiruvalloor.

Mr. Jha said that some of the descriptions in the inquest report prepared by the Thiruvalloor police about the unidentified body appeared to tally with the description of Sebastian given to the Chennai Police by Sebastian's sister, Rita Alamraj, who is also residing there.

The body would be exhumed tomorrow. Sebastian's sister and two brothers who are also at Chennai have been asked to be present at that time, Mr. Jha said.

However, since the body is in a highly decomposed state final confirmation could be possible only after a DNA test. Those procedures too would be done tomorrow, Mr. Jha informed.

Sebastian, the leader of the opposition in the Punalur Mincipal Council, had gone from Punalur to Chennai on May 25.

He stayed with his sister there and on May 27 had left the house to visit a friend. Since then he has been reported missing.