Kasargod: 15 Years Later, Crime Branch Arrests Accused in 2010 Murder of Student M C Reshma

Kasargod: 15 Years Later, Crime Branch Arrests Accused in 2010 Murder of Student M C Reshma

Mangalore Today News Network

Kasaragod, May 18, 2025: In a major breakthrough in a 15-year-old murder case, the Crime Branch has arrested the man accused of killing a student and disposing of her body in a river.

The case dates back to June 6, 2010, when 17-year-old M C Reshma, a resident of Ennappara in Rajapur and a trainee at the T.T.C. Centre in Kanhangad, went missing. Despite a complaint lodged by her family at the Ambalathara police station, early investigations yielded no results.

Following a habeas corpus petition filed by the victim’s family, the High Court intervened and transferred the case to the Crime Branch. Investigators later arrested Biju Paulose, a resident of Panathur, from his workplace in Madikeri.

During interrogation, Biju reportedly confessed to sexually assaulting Reshma before murdering her and dumping her body in a river. Although her remains were initially unrecovered, skeletal fragments later retrieved from the river were confirmed through DNA testing to belong to Reshma, providing crucial evidence that led to his arrest.

Investigators revealed that the accused had sexually assaulted the minor girl, details which were uncovered during the investigation. Police sources confirmed that forensic and scientific evidence, along with Biju’s confession, played a key role in solving the case.

The initial investigation was criticized for its lack of progress, prompting public pressure and legal intervention that kept the case from going cold. Persistent efforts by Reshma’s family and local Dalit organizations were instrumental in reviving the case and securing justice.