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A Kudumbashree worker, who had gone missing last week, was found allegedly murdered and buried in a ditch in the compound of a former colleague's house in Tuvvur in this district, police said on Tuesday.
Kudumbashree is a 46 lakh-strong all-woman network under the state government.
Vishnu, 26, a former temporary staff of the local panchayat in Malappuram, and four others, including his father and two younger brothers, were arrested in connection with the incident, they said.
He was also the local mandalam secretary of the Youth Congress in Tuvvur.
The prime accused knew the victim for some time as she was working in the panchayat's Krishi Bhavan.
As per the statement of the accused, the decomposed body, found buried in the compound of his house, was that of Sujitha, 35, who had gone missing since August 11.
A police officer said her mobile got switched off near the panchayat office, located adjacent to Vishnu's house, and the subsequent probe led to his arrest.
The body was found in the waste dumping pit during a search carried out by the police team last night, he said.
"As per the accused's statement, it was the body of the missing woman. It was in a decomposed state. A scientific examination under the aegis of an expert team comprising a forensic surgeon, dog squad and finger print officials is progressing at the site now," he told PTI.
It was suspected that the woman was killed over some financial dealings between the duo, the officer said.
According to Vishnu, he had allegedly strangled her to death and later hung her from the ceiling before burying her body in the pit with the help of his close relatives and their common friend, he said.
The accused have confessed to the crime, but only a detailed scientific examination can ascertain that the body was that of the missing woman, he further said.
Besides Vishnu, his father, two brothers and his friend were also arrested for supporting him in either carrying out or covering up the gruesome crime, he said.
"Among the accused, the father was suspected to have had clear knowledge about the crime his son had committed," the officer said, adding the police could reach the accused with the help of scientific evidence including mobile call details.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the youth wing of the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist came down heavily on the Youth Congress and the Congress party over the gruesome murder.
Rajya Sabha MP A A Rahim, the all-India president of the DYFI, termed the murder of the woman as shocking.
He said the accused Youth Congress leader and his accomplice were arrested amidst the party's plan to carry out a police station march alleging investigators' failure in tracing the missing woman.
He urged the Youth Congress leadership and Puthuppally bypoll candidate Chandy Oommen to react on the matter.
Rahim said the Left outfit would make the gruesome murder a campaign topic during the upcoming bypoll.
"We consider the incident as an opportunity to expose the Youth Congress," he said.
He also wanted the police to carry out a comprehensive probe into the murder and bring all the conspirators involved in it before law.