In a shocking turn of events, a joyous pre-wedding reception in Kerala's Vadasherikonam near Varkala quickly transformed into a scene of horror and despair as the bride's father was mercilessly attacked and killed by a gang of four individuals. The incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, June 28.
The victim, identified as Raju (61), fell victim to a brutal assault allegedly perpetrated by a male gang armed with a shovel. According to reports the assailants stormed Raju's residence after 12:30 am, long after most of the guests had departed from the pre-wedding celebrations. What was once a beautifully decorated house turned into a chilling crime scene.
Kallambalam police arrested all four suspects involved in the heinous act. The arrested accused have been identified as Jishnu, Jijin, Syam, and Manu. Shedding light on the motive behind the crime, Superintendent of Police Thiruvananthapuram (Rural), Shilpa Dyavaiah, disclosed that Jishnu had been involved in a relationship with Sreelekshmi. However, their plans for marriage faced opposition from her family. "Later her marriage was fixed with someone else, which he (Jishnu) didn't like," Dyavaiah revealed.
According to the police, the accused have confessed to beating Raju, and the exact cause of death will be determined by the post-mortem report. Initial information suggests that a commotion occurred at the wedding house, leading to the fatal incident after 12:30 am.
The accused arrived at Raju's house, a Gulf-returnee and auto-rickshaw driver, around midnight, after most of the guests had already departed following the pre-wedding reception. Video footage shows the remaining food from the reception still arranged on decorated tables inside the house. However, there were a few relatives present at the time.
Although Raju was rushed to a private hospital in Varkala, it is believed that he died at the scene. The four accused later visited the hospital, possibly to assess his condition. Jishnu and Jijin entered the hospital, while the others waited outside. The police arrested them at the hospital premises.
Raju's body has been sent for post-mortem at the Medical College Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram.