Kozhikode , 21 July (H.S.):Police have taken a 22-year-old relative into custody in connection with the brutal murder of a 38-year-old man whose body was found inside his house near the Palayam Vegetable Market in Kozhikode. Investigators suspect the killing was driven by a long-standing personal grudge rather than any criminal rivalry.
The victim, Biju (38), a resident of Puthiya Kovilakam Parambu Nagar, was found dead inside his room in the early hours of Sunday. Family members discovered him lying in a pool of blood and alerted the police.
The postmortem examination revealed the extreme nature of the attack. Doctors found 45 stab wounds on Biju's body, including 18 injuries to the neck, indicating that he had been repeatedly attacked with a sharp-edged weapon.
In the initial stages of the investigation, speculation emerged that the murder could have been linked to drug-related activities. However, Kozhikode City Police Commissioner A.P. Shoukath Ali clarified on Monday that Biju had never lodged any complaint with the police regarding such issues, prompting investigators to explore other angles.
Police reviewed CCTV footage from the area, examined forensic evidence and questioned several people before narrowing their focus to someone familiar with the victim and the neighbourhood. Late on Monday night, officers detained the 22-year-old relative from Kulangarapeedika near Pokkunnu for questioning.
According to investigators, the suspect allegedly harboured resentment against Biju after the latter had helped family members admit him to a hospital for psychiatric treatment when he was reportedly displaying signs of mental illness. Police believe that grievance may have escalated into the fatal attack.
Investigators also found the suspect's conduct after the crime unusual. He attended Biju's funeral, where police noticed injuries on his hand. The injuries, along with CCTV footage, surveillance inputs and other circumstantial evidence gathered during the probe, strengthened suspicions and ultimately led to his detention. Police said further investigation is under way.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman
