The City police on Wednesday recorded the arrest of 34-year-old Aswin on charge of murdering his father, the former Ranji Trophy cricketer K. Jayamohan Thampi, at their house in Manacaud two days ago.
He was arrested as the post-mortem examination revealed that the cause of the death were the multiple injuries on Thampi’s head, as well as the facts gleaned during questioning.
Thampi's wife had died two years ago. Since then, he has been living with the son at a house near the Mukkolakkal Devi temple at Manacaud.
The neighbours told the police that the duo used to get into drunk brawls. Last Saturday, they had got into an altercation while consuming liquor together.
According to the police, the son has been keeping custody of Thampi’s ATM card as well as money. When he had asked his son for money to buy liquor, Aswin punched his face and pushed him against the sit-out wall.
Though Thampi had fallen on the floor following the assault, the son did not take him to the hospital and left him there to purchase two more liquor bottles.
Stench from body
When he got back, he allegedly dragged the unconscious Thampi to the hall and continued drinking.
On Monday morning, more than a day after the assault, the people staying on rent on the building’s first floor enquired after they sensed the stench that emanated from the putrefying body.
Aswin had initially told the police that he did not sense anything amiss because his father had a habit of sleeping for long hours. But the police continued to keep a watch on him. District Police Chief (Thiruvananthapuram city) Balram Kumar Upadhyay said that Aswin confessed to the crime during the questioning after getting the post-mortem examination report.
A police team led by Fort Assistant Commissioner Prathapan Nair and consisting of SHO K.R. Biju and SI Vimal took the accused to the house and reconstructed the crime scene.
Jayamohan Thampi had been part of the Kerala cricket team as a wicket keeper-batsman.
He retired as deputy general manager in the State Bank of Travancore.
