The Ranni police on Sunday arrested a 29-year-old man, who allegedly hacked to death his live-in partner. The accused was identified as Athul Sathyan, a history sheeter and a resident of Block Padi near here .
According to police, Athul barged into the residence of Renjitha, his live-in partner, at Keekozhoor on Saturday night and hacked her to death using a machete. The parents of the victim, identified as Raju and Geetha and their 18-year-old younger daughter, identified as Appu, too sustained serious injuries in the attack. Preliminary investigations suggested that the accused had been enraged by a police complaint lodged against him by the victim’s parents.
Renjitha, who was married off several years ago, had been living together with the accused for the past few years. After being subjected to physical assault by her partner on several occasions, she recently decided to break the relationship and return to her family with the two kids.
“Ever since she left him, the accused used to threaten the woman and her family of dire consequences if she refused to live with him any more,’’ said an official.
The accused, who also sustained serious injuries during the attack, landed in police custody in the wee hours of Sunday from a location near Uthimoodu. He has been shifted to the government medical college in Kottayam and will be arrested upon being discharged from there.
Athul is facing police investigation in various criminal cases including murder, assault, and sale of narcotics.
