Attack on scribe: Remand period of accused extended

Monday, April 16, 2012: A special Court here today extended the remand period of N Abdul Rasheed, Crime Branch cell DYSP, who was arrested in connection with the brutal attack on VB Unnithan-a reporter of a Malayalam daily at Kollam last year.
Rasheed’s remand period has been extended till May 14. Rasheed is the second Crime branch DYSP to be arrested in the case after Santosh Nair. The case had been handed over to CBI after the Kerala Union of Working Journalists appealed to Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in this regard.
Mathrubhumi reporter V B Unnithan was attacked by a gang of hired criminals on April 16 last year while he was returning home from work. He was allegedly targeted for writing a story in the daily about some police officers having attended a party thrown by a liquor contractor in the government guest house at Kollam on October, 2009.
The crime branch had earlier investigated the case. Five persons had been arrested in the case. Unnithan, who was seriously injured, was hospitalised for nearly eight months following the attack.