Mother-son duo held for beating man to death in Idukki

The accused and the victim were neighbours and were at loggerheads

A mother-son duo were arrested in connection with the murder of a 43-year-old man at Mattuthavalam under Upputhara police station limit in Idukki. The victim has been identified as Munthiringattu Jinesh.

The police arrested Pookompil Elsamma, 48, and her son, Bibin, 21, neighbours of the victim, on Saturday.

According to the police, on Friday morning, Jinesh had broken the window glass of Elsamma’s house after consuming alcohol. Afterwards, the mother and son reached Jinesh’s house to ask about this, which turned into a physical altercation. During the fight, the victim sustained head injuries, after which Elsamma and Bibin fled the scene.

The police said a group who had arrived at Jinesh’s house for fund collection found him unconscious in front of his house. Jinesh, who was taken to a local hospital and then to Government Medical College Hospital, Kottayam, succumbed to injuries on Friday night. After the incident, Upputhara police registered a case against Elsamma and Bibin, who were absconding. They later surrendered before the police on Saturday.

Peerumade DySP Vishal Johnson said the arrested woman is a distant relative of Jinesh. “Both families, who were neighbours, were at loggerheads,” he said.

After the post-mortem examination, the body was handed over to the relatives on Saturday, and the funeral was held at Mattuthavalam Mariagiri St. Sebastian’s church on the same day. The accused were remanded and taken to women’s sub-jail at Kottayam and Peerumade sub-jail.

Published - October 13, 2024 08:41 pm IST