Kin, friends say Sayan and Kanagaraj innocent

The cops also claimed that the duo reportedly attempted to rob the bungalow of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. 

Kanagaraj’s relatives, who were waiting at the Attur Government Hospital to collect his body, claimed that he realised that the police were after him and quoted him as saying that he wanted to surrender and prove his innocence. They also suspected that he could have been killed while trying to escape from the police. 

Kanagaraj, a native of Samuthiram near Edappadi in Salem district, joined as the driver of Jayalalithaa in 2009 at the Kodanad bungalow on the recommendations of one of the then Salem district secretaries. He won her trust and served there till 2012, when he was removed from service following reports of alleged misuse of the Chief Minister’s name for personal benefits. 

Subsequently, he was undertaking private trips with his car to support his family. Sources said that special teams formed by The Nilgiris police were on the lookout for him at Chennai. After sensing the police moves, he came to his aunt Sarasu’s house at Vadakkukadu near Attur in Salem district in his car on Friday morning. The same evening he was killed in the accident. 

Kanagaraj is survived by wife Kalaivani and one-anda-half-year-old daughter.

Another suspect, Sayan had been working at Jaya Bakery – a chain of bakeries in Coimbatore, owned by a man from Thrissur – as a supply staff. Sayan, a Class 10 passout, who joined work 14 years ago, was subsequently promoted as manager of the chain of bakeries. 

Sayan, who was in a relationship with Vinupriya of Coimbatore, later married her later and the couple had a five-year-old daughter Neethu. They were residing at Madukkarai in Coimbatore. His wife and daughter were well known to the staff as he used to go to various branches of the bakery frequently with them. His colleagues were shocked when they came to know about the death of Sayan’s wife and daughter in the accident. 

“He is a wonderful person and a hard worker. We cannot believe that he was being suspected in such a crime. His name must have been accidentally dragged into the case,” said Vijay, incharge of one of the bakeries in Coimbatore. 

“We used to have regular discussions regarding official matters. Three to four days ago his mobile phone was switched off. We thought he was on a tour and did not want to disturb him. On Friday evening, the police came to our head office in search of him and told the staff about his suspected involvement in the Kodanad case,” another staff said.

A team of police personnel from Kerala came to Coimbatore late on Saturday evening to question Sayan about the accident, which claimed the lives of his wife Vinupriya and daughter Neethu. When asked if they were murdered even before the accident took place as they reportedly suffered deep cuts on their necks, a police officer said that their bodies have been sent to Government Thrissur Medical College for post-mortem and a report was awaited.