The Sampadak Express News Desk
Sakthikulangara police have arrested a man on suspicion of murdering Nizar, 55, and disposing of his body in the septic tank of the harbour’s toilet block in Kollam, Kerala. Nizar, a resident of Kottukadu in Chavara, had been reported missing since August 6, 2026, and his decomposed remains were discovered on September 30 when workers cleaned the tank and found them concealed beneath a mat, according to The Hindu.
Harbour officials alerted the Sakthikulangara police after the discovery. Officers conducted preliminary inspections, registered a case and completed inquest procedures. An autopsy at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital subsequently confirmed that the death was a homicide.
Investigators identified the victim after relatives recognised clothes and items found with the remains as belonging to Nizar. For scientific confirmation, police collected blood samples from his relatives and sent them to the Forensic Department for DNA profiling.
As the probe widened, police reviewed CCTV footage from the harbour and gathered information from local shop owners, room tenants and harbour workers. The inquiry pointed to Shyam Jith, also known as Jithu, a native of Kottiyam who had worked at the harbour under the toilet block contractor for about two and a half years and abruptly left his job on August 24.
A team led by Kollam West Inspector Vipin took the suspect into custody and interrogated him, which police said led to his confession. According to the police account, a dispute inside the toilet block escalated after Nizar allegedly verbally abused the suspect, who then beat him and struck his head, causing his death.
Police said the accused ensured Nizar was dead before dumping the body into the septic tank. The arrest was carried out by a special team supervised by Kollam ACP Shaji and Inspector Vipin, comprising Sakthikulangara Station House Officer Aneesh Kumar, Sub-Inspectors Ajith and Santhosh Kumar, Senior Civil Police Officers Ajith and Sujith, and Civil Police Officer Reeja.
DNA profiling to conclusively establish the victim’s identity is under way, police said.
