Retired army officer K. Ramaraj, arrested Saturday night for shooting 13-year-old Dilshan in an Army residential complex near Island Grounds, tried to mislead the cops early in the investigation and even offered to help them solve the murder.
But a fourth boy who was present at the scene when Dilshan was shot — the cops initially believed there were only three including the victim — provided crucial evidence that helped the police zero in on the 58-year-old former officer.
“Everybody believed that only Dilshan and two of his friends were near the fruit trees in the Army complex when the boy was shot. However, another boy who was present at the scene indicated that Ramaraj killed Dilshan,” a senior CB-CID investigating officer said on Sunday.
The Army had no knowledge that the 58-year-old former officer was in possession of the US-made Springfield .30 (M1903) rifle that he used to kill the boy and later dumped in the Cooum, the CB-CID police said.
“He was trying to guide us in the probe apparently in a bid to derail the investigation,” the CB-CID officer said. “Initially our focus on a serving lieutenant colonel because he had reprimanded the for trying to enter the Army premises.”
“At the time, Ramaraj acted as if he was very concerned about the incident,” official said. “But when we found that he had applied for renewal of his gun licence that had expired in 2008, we became suspicious,” the officer added.
“He claimed that he did not own a gun, not knowing that we were aware that he had applied for renewal of his licence.”
The native of Madurai confessed to the crime during sustained interrogation by investigating officers.
Forensics experts confirmed from the trajectory of the bullet that it was discharged from a rifle fired from or near the balcony of Ramaraj’s house 60 feet from where Dilshan was when the bullet struck him in the head. The former Armyman admitted to the police that he shot Dilshan from his balcony.
The investigators also depended on the statement provided by the fourth boy present at the scene of crime. The officials refused to confirm or deny the reports that Ramaraj was drunk when he opened fire.
During the investigation, extensive searches were carried out in the homes of military officers from where the cops believed the rifle was fired.
The shell of the bullet was recovered and sent for ballistic opinion to ascertain the type of weapon used.