A FORMER Bahrain expatriate husband and wife have died following a horrific hammer attack in their home in India.
The man accused of their killing blamed them for the suicide of his son who came to work in Bahrain and the subsequent death of his daughter shortly afterwards.
Prabhakara Kurup, 70, and Vimala Kumar, 65, were beaten and their bodies set ablaze in the town of Kilimanoor, in the Indian state of Kerala, on Saturday, after a long-running bitter legal wrangle erupted into further tragedy.
Accused Sasidharan Nair, who was also injured in the incident, faces murder charges.
Pallickkal police in Kilimanoor confirmed the incident to the GDN yesterday.
“Police have completed the inquest report on the incident and have registered a case against the accused under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (murder charges – punishable with death, life imprisonment, or fine),” a spokesman told the GDN.
All three were found by residents in front of the couple’s home in a suburb known as Madavoor.
“It was around noon when people heard a loud wailing from the house which was on fire,” an informed source close to the investigation told the GDN.
“They spotted flames coming from the property and managed to douse them.
“They discovered all three – the couple and their alleged assailant – lying down injured, in front of the house.
“Soon afterwards, an ambulance and the police arrived, and the paramedics pronounced Mr Kurup as ‘dead on arrival’. His wife died shortly after being transferred to Thiruvananthapuram Medical College.”
Their daughter was at work at the time of the incident, added friends of the family.
According to local sources, the accused, an ex-serviceman, was the couple’s former neighbour and family friend before heartache sparked a long-running feud.
“Apparently, Mr Kurup took the accused’s son to Bahrain 29 years ago, in 1996, on a job visa that the young man discovered was not the one he wanted,” the source added.
“He reportedly became depressed and committed suicide in the Gulf country. Following this, the daughter of the accused also committed suicide in Kerala, about six months later, and their father blamed Mr Kurup for the family tragedy.
“In 1998, he filed a police complaint against Mr Kurup, accusing him of being responsible for his son’s death and he fought a lengthy legal battle. However, last Friday, a court ruled in favour of Mr Kurup, acquitting him of all allegations levelled against him.”
A hammer, fuel and a matchbox were discovered in a bag at the house, which police believe belonged to the accused.
Apparently, the accused had an argument with the deceased Mr Kurup that morning, which resulted in a scuffle, and the accused allegedly beat Mr Kurup with a hammer, poured petrol over him and lit it, local newspapers reported, quoting police sources.
Mr Kurup’s wife apparently intervened and was also seriously hurt and burned – while the accused also suffered burn injuries. Police believe the court verdict prompted the accused to confront the couple.
raji@gdnmedia.bh
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