The death toll in the Kanjirippally firing incident in which a 52-year-old man allegedly shot his younger brother and brother-in-law over a property dispute rose to two on Tuesday.
According to the police, Mathew Scaria, 75, maternal uncle of the brothers, who had been admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital, Kottayam, with a bullet injury in his head, died early on Tuesday. Ranju Kurian, younger brother of George Kurian, the accused, had died on the spot soon after the firing incident on Monday evening.
The police said the violent assault pertained to a dispute between the brothers over the sale of a family property to settle the debts incurred by the accused. The accused, who had been into real estate development, was reported to have suffered major losses during the pandemic period and ran up a cumulative debt of around ₹8 crore.
An altercation broke out between the brothers during a discussion to amicably settle the dispute and, in a fit of rage, the accused took out his revolver and shot at his brother. Scaria, who tried to intervene, also sustained a bullet injury
During interrogation, the accused told the police that goons brought in by Ranju tried to attack him and, hence, he decided to fire at them. Based on the statement, the police began collecting details of people present in and around the locality on Monday afternoon.
A scientific team and fingerprint and forensic experts visited the crime scene on Tuesday and collected evidence. The accused was produced before the court and remanded.
