Thantri case: Police team questions photographer

A person suspected to have 'forcibly' photographed the Sabarimala Thantri Kandararu Mohanararu with a woman inside a flat in Kochi in July is being questioned by a special police team at a hospital near Kanhangad, where he was admitted a few days ago.

The police team led by CIG Venugopal arrived at the hospital on Wednesday night and began questioning T P Abdul Sattar, reportedly a freelance photographer, to establish his involvement in the Thantri assault case on July 23, Hosdurg Deputy SP Abdul Ghafoor said.

The special team would decide on arresting the accused only after completing the questioning, he said.

Reports said Sattar had gone to Mumbai and Bangalore after the July 23 incident. He reached his wife's house near Cheruvathur in the district and got himself admitted to the hospital following chest pain and breathing trouble.

On a tip off that the accused was being treated at the hospital, local police kept a close watch on Sattar and informed the Ernakulam police which is investigating the case.

Meanwhile, Sattar had reported to have confessed his involvement in the assault case with some media men and said he had taken the photographs on the request from one Majid hailing from Kasaragod, whom he got acquainted while working in a hotel in Mumbai.