Namakkal Police Superintendent S.Kannamma said a man's headless body with the stomach ripped open was fished out from the river yesterday.
The head was traced later, the Superintendent said, adding, some tatoos on the hand helped police identify the deceased as Avathipalayam Aamaiyan (35), an accused in the murder of CPI Pallipalayam executive member Veluswamy in 2010.
Aamaiyan was arrested in 2010 and lodged in Coimbatore central prison under judicial remand. He was released on parole a month ago, police said.