In a new twist to the case of the mysterious death of popular South Indian film actor and folk singer Kalabhavan Mani, traces of a highly hazardous organophosphate insecticide have been found in his viscera samples in chemical examination. Relatives of the actor have demanded registration of a case for murder.
The report of the chemical examination carried out at the Regional Chemical Examiner’s laboratory at Kakkanad near Kochi, which found presence of insecticide Chlorpyrifos in Mani’s viscera samples, followed the police’s finding that spurious liquor had been used at Padi, Mani’s farm house near his native town Chalakudy in Kerala’s Thrissur district.
Confirming the presence of Chlorpyrifos in Mani’s viscera samples, Joint Chemical Examiner K Muraleedharan Nair said that contents of methyl and ethyl alcohol had also been found in his samples. Mani (45), a versatile actor and a famous folk singer, died on March 6 at a private hospital in Kochi.
“This insecticide, being used in plants, cannot enter our body system just like that. That means there had been a side of deliberateness in this. There are only two ways of this chemical entering the system. Either he could have consumed it or somebody could have made him consume it,” said Muraleedharan Nair.
The laboratory at Kakkanad on Friday handed over its report to the police who have already registered a case of unnatural death. The police have also taken into custody three aides of Mani in connection with the probe and have already questioned some film and television personalities.
Dr Sumesh, who had first treated Mani after he was found unwell at Padi, said he had vomited blood several times before hospitalization. The actor was undergoing treatment for liver and kidney diseases for some time when he died. The post-mortem report had indicated that Mani had been suffering from an advanced stage of cirrhosis.
Mani’s family members have raised suspicions about the conduct of his friends on the day before hospitalization. They told the police that when Mani was in hospital, his three aides had hastily cleaned the farm house where he was found unwell. The police have also learned that illicit liquor used to be taken to Padi when Mani’s friends in the film field visited him there.
According to Mani’s brother RlV Ramakrishnan, the three aides of Mani had been acting suspiciously ever since his hospitalization. “They had cleaned the place after traces of methanol was found in his blood. This could only been seen as destruction of evidence. Also, they have not yet answered our queries in connection with the tragedy,” he told the media.
Mani’s widow Nimmi also aired doubts over his death. Rejecting reports about family problems, Nimmi said he had no enemies. “My husband would not commit suicide. From such humble beginnings he had risen to a life with all the blessings God could give. There was no reason for him to commit suicide,” she said.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said the Government was prepared to order a high-level investigation if the actor’s family wanted. “A decision will be taken after knowing about the family’s views,” he said. Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala promised to unravel the mystery behind the actor’s death.