Two witnesses in the case relating to the death of journalist K.M. Basheer provided crucial testimony during trial proceedings on Monday. Two friends of the accused, IAS officer Sriram Venkitaraman, Anish Raj and Athul Vijayakumar, were examined as the 10th and 11th witnesses at the Thiruvananthapuram Additional District and Sessions Court IV.
Dr. Raj, who hails from Parottukonam, testified that he arrived at the scene after the accident and that the blood-stained clothes worn by Mr. Venkitaraman were later shifted to the civil service officers’ quarters at Kowdiar. The accused was later given new clothes before being taken from the General Hospital to KIMS Hospital.
Mr. Vijayakumar, a native of Kudappanakunnu, testified that he was the person who retrieved the blood-stained shirt and blue jeans kept at the quarters on August 4, 2019, and handed them over to the police. However, when the defence asked whether the clothes handed over to the police on that day were the same clothes shown in court, both witnesses replied that they did not clearly remember. The trial will continue on Tuesday.
Published – August 10, 2026 10:38 pm IST
