Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Murder of woman: neighbour held

Thiruvananthapuram:

The Venjaranmoodu police have arrested a 33-year-old man in connection with the murder of his neighbour, a 67-year-old woman.

Circle Inspector M. Radhakrishnan Nair identified the suspect as ‘Nokia’ Asokan, a resident of Vattappara. He is accused in 23 robbery and theft cases in the State.

The police said Asokan specialised in stealing mobile phones from passengers in crowded trains and buses, thereby earning him the nick name ‘Nokia.’

The body of the victim, Pankajam of Usha Bhavan, was found in the well in the compound of her house on December 4, 2008. The post mortem examination found burn marks on the body. Forensic experts concluded that the woman had been first knocked unconscious. They said the assailant attempted to torch her using kerosene and subsequently dumped her into the well.

Forensic doctors told the police that head injury and drowning were the causes of death.

Pankajam was living alone in a thatched house on the crest of a hill top rubber plantation near Asokan’s house at Vattakarickakam in Vattappara police station limits.

Mr. Radhakrishnan said that Asokan was a bully in the rural locality. He often hid in Pankajam’s house, without her consent, when police came searching for him.

On December 2, 2008, he trespassed into Pankajam’s house and ate some boiled tapioca the woman had kept aside for her dinner. Panakajam tried to wrest the food and plate from Asokan’s hand.

The police said Asokan retaliated by ramming Pankajam’s head against the wall. She fell unconscious in the attack. Asokan told the police that he poured kerosene over the woman and set her on fire. Later, he dumped the body into the well from where it was retrieved two days later.

Pankajam’s son, Vijayakumar, petitioned Director General of Police Jacob Punnoose stating that Asokan was responsible for his mother’s murder.

Mr. Punnoose ordered the CI to investigate the case. The police learned that Asokan had left the locality on the day the woman’s body was found.

Investigators found that Pankajam had complained against Asokan and his bullying habits to several of her neighbours earlier.

On the day she was killed, she had sought refuge for sometime in the house of a neighbour stating that Asokan was in a rage and wanted to harm her. Fearing Asokan’s wrath, the neighbour advised Pankajam to go and live with her son. He was the last person to see the woman alive.

The police said Asokan’s father had died in jail while serving a life sentence for the murder of Tamil Nadu legislator Muthayya Pillai in early 1990s.

The accused was produced before the court on charges of murder and destruction of evidence and remanded in judicial custody for 14 days.

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