Raghu was not a pickpocket

PALAKKAD/PERUMBAVOOR: An innocent man being beaten to death on suspicion that he is a pickpocket is a tragedy beyond words. Raghu, 40, of Thangayam Veetil, Peruvembu, near Palakkad, appears to be the victim of such a tragedy that has unfolded in the state.  Raghu was a passenger travelling to Perumbavoor in a KSRTC bus on Monday and he was cruelly beaten up  after co-passenger Santhosh of Muvattupuzha complained that someone had stolen a sum of his `10,000 from him. On inspection Raghu was found to possess the amount. So he was  assaulted by some, including  Satheesan, the gunman of K Sudhakaran MP.  He was beaten even after alighting from the bus at the KSRTC stand at Perumbavoor where he collapsed. Though the police took Raghu to the Perumbavoor taluk hospital, he had died by then. The police later  took Santhosh and Satheesan into custody.But  now it has been established that Raghu, a worker at a plastic moulding company in Karatpally near Perumbavoor, was not a pickpocket. Balan, a friend of Raghu, and the victim’s    relatives have confirmed that the money  in his possession was taken from the Peruvembu Service Cooperative Bank, near Palakkad, after pledging his gold ring.    Balan, who runs a tailoring shop in front of the  cooperative bank, said that Raghu had pledged his ring in the name of Balan at 10 am on Monday.  He said  Raghu had no criminal  record.