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A 13-year-old girl allegedly plotted the murder of her 67-year-old grandfather in Karuvatta in Alappuzha district, with the intention of stealing gold ornaments and cash, police said. Four minors, including the girl, have been taken into custody in connection with the murder of Sivankutty Chettiar, who was found dead inside his rented house on the night of Saturday, August 15.
According to police, the girl roped in three friends from Paravoor in Kollam district to carry out the killing. The three boys are reportedly aged below 18 years. Police took the suspects into custody from Paravoor railway station on August 18.
Sivankutty was found dead on Monday, August 17, after the 13-year-old informed neighbours that he was not responding when she called out to him.
VK Nathan, president of the Haripad block panchayat, said the initial suspicion was that Sivakutty had been killed during a robbery. Around six to eight sovereigns of gold are suspected to be missing from the house. Household articles had been scattered and cupboards were found broken open, initially strengthening the suspicion of a robbery.
“The girl told the neighbours that Sivankutty had not opened the door to the house for two days. The neighbours informed the police and we all reached there. When we found the body, his hands and legs were tied. There were no clothes on his body,” Nathan told the media.
However, police later noticed inconsistencies in the girl's statements.
“When the police took the statements of the girl, they realised that there were inconsistencies in what she said. After conducting a proper inquiry with her friends, it was found that the murder was planned,” Nathan said.
The murder is suspected to have taken place on Saturday night. Police believe the accused tied Sivankutty's hands and legs using cloth from inside the house before strangling him. His neck bore marks consistent with the tightening of a cloth, and investigators had earlier said that more than one person appeared to have been involved.
Police also suspect that the attackers deliberately attempted to destroy traces of the crime. Chilli powder, which police found had been taken from the kitchen of the house, had been spread in the bedroom and hall.
The house is located in a relatively isolated area. Another building was under construction in front of the rented house, reducing visibility from the road. During the initial investigation, a police dog reportedly followed a scent towards the under-construction building, prompting investigators to question those associated with the construction work.
Sivan Kutty's family were away at the time of the murder. His wife Saraswati was at Vandanam Medical College Hospital with their daughter Sreekala, who had been admitted there for childbirth. Their granddaughter, the 13-year-old girl, was staying at a friend's house, according to relatives.
The family had moved to Karuvatta from Kollam around two years ago and had been living in a rented house. The minor boys are believed to be her friends from the time the family lived in Kollam. Sivankutty had purchased land nearby, where he was constructing houses for his two daughters, Sasikala and Sreekala. One of the houses was nearing completion while construction on the second was under way.
The four accused are being questioned separately. Police said the 13-year-old will be questioned after she is given counselling, considering her age, and the suspects will subsequently be questioned together.
Ernakulam Range DIG Yathish Chandra and Alappuzha district police chief TK Vishnu Pradeep were among the senior officers who visited the scene. The scientific investigation team conducted an extensive examination of the house and collected evidence as part of the probe.
