Missing youngster: SIT has a tough task with little new evidence

With hardly any new evidence to bank on, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to track down the 20-year-old Adam Jo Antony from Palluruthy, who had gone missing almost two months ago, has its task cut out.

District Police Chief (Kochi City) Putta Vimaladitya formed the SIT on Wednesday after youngster’s family’s agonising wait for their elder son continued to prolong indefinitely. The new team is being led by Mattancherry Assistant Commissioner or Police Kiran P.B. who assumed charge just 10 days ago and is in the process of studying the case, and comprises Palluruthy Station House Officer Girish Kumar, grade sub inspector Xavier P.J., senior civil police officer Chandrakumar C.R., and civil police officer Vineeth.

Adam has gone missing since he went out for daily cycling in the early hours of July 28. His parents have since then lodged a complaint for missing with the Palluruthy police who failed to track him down.

The youngster had left behind his mobile phone and wallet making it difficult for the investigation team to track him down using his mobile tower location. The money credited to his account also remains intact. Neither had he taken his clothes.

“We are now collecting the call detail record of his mobile phone dating back some time ago for verifying the numbers he contacted and those who contacted him. As it is, we could not yet find any CCTV footage of the youngster beyond near the Cochin Shipyard,” said police sources.

CCTV footage from his immediate neighbourhood showed Adam on the road at 3.19 a.m. on the day he went missing. Adam who was preparing for Chartered Accountancy Intermediate exam along with PSC exams was almost taciturn. Having undergone schooling from home from the end of Standard 10 and class 12, both of which he cleared with A plus, owing to the pandemic, he had few friends.

It was found that Adam had searched on his mobile phone the route to the Himalayas and bus and train timings the day before he had gone missing. The police have since then passed on the information to their counterparts in other States but to no avail.