Kottayam double murder: Final rites of victims held

Kottayam: The final rites of businessman Vijayakumar (64) and his wife Dr Meera Vijayakumar, who were brutally murdered at their residence at Thiruvathukkal, were held on Sunday.

A public viewing took place at 9am at the family-owned Indraprastham Auditorium. The last rites were then performed on their house premises at 3pm.

Minister VN Vasavan, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, MLA, and several other dignitaries visited the residence to pay their respects to the deceased couple.

The murder, which sent shockwaves across the region, took place last Tuesday. The accused Amith Urang, a migrant worker from Assam, was arrested the following day. Police said personal enmity was the motive behind the crime.

Vasavan lauded police for their swift action, crediting their prompt investigation for the quick arrest of the suspect.

Investigations revealed that the couple were repeatedly struck on the head and face with the blunt side of an axe, leaving their faces disfigured beyond recognition. The murder weapon, an axe, was recovered from the house.

The assailant is believed to have broken into the house by drilling through a windowpane and unlocking the door. A ‘kuzhavi' (pestle) was found near the entrance, which may have been used to force the door open. Police also reported that the house's CCTV digital video recorder and the victims' mobile phones were missing, pointing to attempts to destroy evidence.