It was a grudge Arun (28) festered against 20-year-old Surya Gayathri for more than two years that finally culminated in her murder. She was attacked gruesomely on Monday afternoon and later succumbed to her injuries.
Police said the accused and the victim had a very murky past. The victim’s mother was a physically challenged woman who sold lottery tickets at Kallingal junction near Nedumangad, near the state beverages corporation’s outlet here. The victim used to assist her mother from a very young age after school hours. The accused met Surya Gayathri in 2017 while visiting the liquor shop.
He soon became friends with a then 16-year-old Surya Gayathri and her mother. “When her family had to vacate their former rented house, it was Arun who helped them find a new house near Aryanad. Soon he too started living with them and promised to marry the girl, said a senior police officer. Problems arose when the accused started controlling her too much.
The police said though Arun went back to live in his own residence at Peyad, the girl’s family still wanted to marry her off to him. When he refused their pleas to live with them again, they retaliated by filing a complaint against him accusing him of stealing her mobile phone and chain.
Based on this complaint, Arun was summoned to Aryanad station. The police told him to buy her a new phone to settle the issue though their preliminary inquiry found no evidence of such a crime. Later in 2020, the victim eloped with an employee of a toddy shop. But, soon problems arose between the two following which she returned to live with her family.
On Monday Arun reached Nedumangad and met his old acquaintances near the liquor shop. He learned from them where the victim and family now reside. After consuming liquor he proceeded to her house and stabbed her.
