A migrant worker was allegedly shot dead on a cardamom estate at Chittampara, near Chakkupallam, on Monday night. The deceased was identified as Manoj Gurmu, 20, of Jharkhand.
The police said Gurmu was admitted to a private hospital at Kattappana on Monday night. Hospital authorities informed the police resulting in the arrest of the plantation owner and its manager.
The estate is owned by Sony, a resident of Ponkunnam. The owner and the manager told the police that they were on guard to prevent theft of timber from the plantation.
On Monday night, Gurmu and a team reached the plantation to steal timber and the owner allegedly shot at them. The police recovered the gun used by the accused.
However, there are allegations that the migrant worker was accidentally shot while they were hunting wild animals entering the plantation.
