Shocking Twist in Coimbatore Photographer’s Death: Two Surrender in Court, Claim Planned Murder

In a dramatic twist to the death of 24-year-old photographer Praveen, whose death was initially believed to have resulted from a train accident, two men from Karur surrendered before a Coimbatore court in connection with the case. Police are now investigating the incident as an alleged murder and are seeking custody of the accused.

Coimbatore: What began as a missing person complaint filed by the family of 24-year-old photographer Praveen has now unfolded into an alleged murder investigation, after two men surrendered before a Coimbatore court claiming responsibility for his death.

According to his family, Praveen, a resident of Madathur near Thadagam in Coimbatore district, left home on July 2, informing them that he had received a photography assignment in Oddanchatram. When he failed to return and could not be contacted, his family lodged a missing person complaint with the Thadagam Police, who launched a search.

Meanwhile, on July 3, the body of an unidentified young man was found in a mutilated state on the railway tracks behind ABC Theatre near Kinathukadavu. The Podanur Railway Police recovered the body, registered a case involving an unidentified deceased person, and sent it to the Pollachi Government Hospital for postmortem examination.

As the deceased had not been identified as Praveen at the time, two separate investigations were under way—a missing person case registered by the Thadagam Police and a case involving an unidentified body being investigated by the Podanur Railway Police.

The breakthrough came on July 6, when Manojkumar and his friend Karthikeyan, both from Karur district, surrendered before the Judicial Magistrate Court-I in Coimbatore. During the proceedings, the duo allegedly confessed to murdering Praveen and dumping his body on the railway tracks near Kinathukadavu.

According to preliminary investigation findings, the accused allegedly planned the murder over a love-related dispute. They are alleged to have lured Praveen to Oddanchatram on the pretext of a photography assignment before strangling him to death.

Police further alleged that the accused dumped Praveen’s body on the railway tracks near Kinathukadavu to make the death appear to be a train accident or suicide. Investigators believe the body was subsequently run over by a passing train, resulting in severe mutilation.

Following their surrender, Manojkumar and Karthikeyan were remanded to judicial custody.

The case has sent shockwaves across Coimbatore. Both the Thadagam Police and the Podanur Railway Police are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding Praveen’s death.

This is a developing story. An official statement from the police is awaited.

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