A 67-year-old man in Kerala was murdered in what initially appeared to be a robbery gone wrong. The investigation took a shocking turn when police identified the victim's 13-year-old relative as the mastermind, who conspired with her boyfriend to steal gold for an iPhone and a bike.
A 67-year-old man was killed while alone at his home in Kerala, his hands and legs tied and a cloth tightened around his neck. At first, the case seemed to be a heist gone wrong since his gold chain and other jewellery kept at the property were discovered missing. However, it took an unexpected turn when the victim's close relative, a 13-year-old girl, was recognised by authorities as the mastermind.
The Class 8 student, according to police, conspired with her 17-year-old boyfriend, a Plus Two student, to kill the man, Sivankutty Chettiyar. Their motive was to steal his gold to fund an iPhone and a bike for the boy and his two friends, who were also involved in the crime.
The murder happened in Alappuzha on Saturday. The 13-year-old girl and other close relatives were questioned by police as they started to piece together the evidence. Police were suspicious, though, since they saw recurring inconsistencies in her stories almost away. The terrifying scheme was finally revealed through in-depth interrogation.
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Police said that the girl had plotted with her boyfriend and informed him that gold might be taken from the property. She also claimed to police that she harboured resentment toward the man for allegedly touching her improperly. While the girl's complaint was being investigated independently, police think that stealing looked to be the main motivation.
What Did Police Say?
"On Saturday evening, the boyfriend and his friends came here at the girl’s instigation. They came to steal the gold and money kept in the house. Additionally, there is a revenge angle, as the girl has alleged that the man touched her inappropriately. But the main motive was stealing the gold," Alappuzha SP Vishnu Pradeep said.
The man’s wife and daughter were away when they arrived at the house. According to police, they entered through a small passage near a ventilator at the back of the house. The boys then confronted the man, leading to a scuffle. The trio knocked him down and tied his hands and legs. The post-mortem examination later confirmed that he died of smothering, police said.
Immediately after the murder, the boy video-called his girlfriend and showed her the body before beginning to search the house for gold.
Police claim that the child also helped the group find the jewels by providing them with directions. Police believe the accused may have been inspired by films since the crime seems to have been well planned. They dispersed chilli powder at the scene after the murder, presumably to avoid leaving forensic evidence and to stop sniffer dogs from following them.
Following the murder, the girl sold part of the stolen 4.5-sovereign gold in neighbouring Kollam district for Rs 16,000, police found. The gold, worth Rs 5,61,600, has since been recovered by the police.
