Thodupuzha mass murder: Main accused arrested

Idukki: Following the tragic murder of four members of a family in Mundanmudi near Vannappuram in Idukki, the postmortem report had revealed that they were brutally killed by more than two persons using multiple objects like hammer, knife and granite stones.

Krishnan (60) of Kanattu house, his wife Susheela (50), daughter Arsha (21) and son Arjun (17) were found buried one over the other inside a pit near the house on August 1.

Their bodies were unearthed from the pit by Kaliyar police after being informed by the local people who found blood stains inside the house, while they were conducting a search for the family who went missing four days ago.

The post mortem was conducted at the Medical College Hospital at Kottayam. The mortal remains were brought back home in four separate ambulances.

Krishnan used to practice black magic and the dispute over sorcery led to the murders, said the district police chief.

All the victims were struck by a pipe, the police claimed adding they were killed on July 29. The bodies were found on August 1.

The main accused in the murder was arrested by the police on Wednesday. The investigation team nabbed Aneesh from his friend's house at Neriamangalam on Ernakulam-Idukki district border.

Cops had arrested Aneesh's aide Libeesh from Thodupuzha earlier.

The police said the murder was plotted by Aneesh, a resident of Kurangatty near Adimaly, to loot the house and collect palm-leaf manuscripts in possession of Krishnankutty. The duo had taken away the gold jewelry kept in the house.

After collecting details from Libeesh, the police had carried out a search for Aneesh in the forest areas near Adimaly. Following a tip-off, they raided the house of Aneesh's friend on Tuesday night and arrested the main accused.

According to the police, Libeesh and Aneesh had reached the house on Aneesh's bike on July 29 midnight. They went to the goat shed and thrashed the animals following which Krishnan came out of the house.

The duo attacked him on his head with an iron pipe. After a few minutes when Susheela came outside searching for her husband, she too was attacked. Both the killers then entered the house and killed Arsha and Arjun. The culprits took all the jewelry and fled the house with whatever cash they could lay hands on.