By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Validating the allegation that the police had reacted late to the distress call made by Sangeeth, who was murdered by illegal soil mining racket at Kattakada, the rural Special Branch has reported that the local police had made undue delay in reaching the place. The report said the police were informed about the threat of the mining mafia by Sangeeth at 12.50am, but the police reached the place only by 1.45 am. It was during this time that the murder took place. The report said the police station was at a distance of eight kilometres from Sangeeth’s house at Kanjiravila and the cops could have reached the spot in time before the murder occurred. The local police had claimed that the police jeep was not available at the station when Sangeeth made the distress call to the station seeking police protection after being threatened by the mafia. The Special Branch report said this claim was not reliable. The report was handed over to Rural SP B Asokan. Meanwhile, the departmental probe being carried out by Nedumangadu DySP is on and based on its findings, further action will be taken. Sangeeth was murdered on Thursday night by the mining mafia after he objected to illegal mining of soil from his property. When Sangeeth tried to block the tipper lorry and the earth mover that were used for mining, he was first knocked down by the lorry. As he got up, the earth mover operator hit him with the vehicle’s bucket. He later succumbed to injuries. Eight arrested so far One more accused, Baiju, was arrested by Kattakada police on Monday night. Baiju had allegedly removed the car that was parked in front of the tipper lorry by Sangeeth. So far, eight people have been arrested in connection with the case.

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