Kerala: Assam native nabbed for killing Kottayam businessman and his wife; meticulously planned murder, says cops

Amit Urang, an Assam native, has been arrested in connection with the brutal murder of Kottayam industrialist Vijayakumar and his wife Meera. He was nabbed from a poultry farm near Mala.

Kottayam: Amit Urang, an Assam native accused in the brutal murder of Kottayam industrialist Vijayakumar and his wife Meera, has been arrested. He was apprehended from a poultry farm near Mala with the help of Gandhi Nagar police and Mala police in the early hours.

According to the police, the accused was staying in an area inhabited by several Assam natives. Initial investigation suggests that revenge may have been the motive behind the double murder.

The turning point in the investigation came when fingerprints found on the axe used in the killings matched Amit's. His fingerprint records had been previously collected during an arrest in a theft case. Multiple fingerprints matching Amit’s were also found on the house's door and inside various rooms, confirmed by forensic experts.

The police believe the murders were premeditated and executed with meticulous planning. Amit is thought to have plotted the crime over several days.

He had been staying in a lodge in Kottayam city since last Saturday. During this time, he made several visits near Vijayakumar’s house, likely to survey the area. On Monday morning, Amit checked out of the lodge and later went to Kottayam railway station, where he purchased a platform ticket and entered the premises. That night, he committed the double murder.

CCTV footage shows Amit leaving the lodge and later entering the railway station, which provided crucial leads to the investigating team.

How did the crime happen?

The victims, identified as Vijayakumar and his wife Meera, were found dead inside their home on Tuesday morning.

The crime came to light when the couple’s domestic worker arrived for duty and noticed that the back door, which she usually used, was locked. On approaching the front door, she spotted a grinding stone placed suspiciously near the entrance and found bloodstains. Upon entering the house, she discovered the couple lying in a pool of blood and immediately informed the neighbours, who then alerted the police.

According to officials, both victims had severe injuries to their faces, believed to have been inflicted using a sharp weapon. The nature and brutality of the wounds led authorities to immediately suspect foul play.

Vijayakumar was a well-known entrepreneur in the city, owning the Indraprastha Auditorium and several other businesses. The couple had previously suffered a personal tragedy with the death of their son in 2018. Their only daughter currently resides abroad.