13-year-old hires 3 friends to kill grandfather in Kerala, wanted iPhone, bike for boyfriend

Kerala police also suspect she had a grudge against Sivankutty after he repeatedly scolded her for using her phone frequently and returning home late.

Updated on: Aug 18, 2026, 16:40:39 IST

Edited by Anagha Deshpande

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A 65-year-old man was reportedly found dead at a rented house in Karuvatta in Kerala’s Alappuzha district, with his hands and legs tied behind him, in a murder that police suspect was allegedly plotted by his 13-year-old granddaughter.

Kerala police initially suspected a planned robbery after finding that the bedroom cupboard had been broken. (Representational Image) (PTI)

According to police, the girl allegedly hired her friends to kill her grandfather, identified as Sivankutty, a native of Kollam district. Police suspect the teenagers also recorded the killing and later showed the footage to the girl, who was living away from her grandfather at the time. She is in custody, and her statements are being verified, The Indian Express reported.

Police initially suspected a planned robbery after finding that the bedroom cupboard had been broken open and gold ornaments and cash were missing. Six sovereigns of gold were allegedly stolen from the house.

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The investigation later turned towards the family, with police reportedly getting a breakthrough while examining phone records.

Sivankutty’s hands and legs had been tied behind him using bedsheets and other items from the house. Police suspect he was strangled. Chilli powder was also found scattered near the scene, The New Indian Express reported.

iPhone for self, bike for boyfriend

According to police, the girl allegedly wanted to buy an iPhone for herself and a bike for her boyfriend. Police also suspect she had a grudge against Sivankutty after he repeatedly scolded her for using her phone frequently and returning home late, the report added.

The girl had befriended the other teenagers while studying in Kollam, and police suspect they carried out the killing after she realised her grandfather was alone at home.

Police are also examining whether the stolen money and valuables were intended to fund the purchases. Two houses were under construction near the rented house for Sivankutty’s daughters.

Also Read: 32-year-old Bengaluru engineer kills techie wife, dies by suicide after fight: Police

Sivankutty had been staying alone at the rented house for the past few days as his wife was in hospital with their daughter, who had been admitted for a planned delivery. His other daughter, Sasikala, is abroad.

According to reports, his body is at Haripad taluk hospital and postmortem examination will be conducted at Alappuzha Medical College Hospital.

The investigation is continuing, and police are verifying the statements of the girl and other evidence gathered in the case.

(With inputs from PTI)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Anagha Deshpande
Anagha Deshpande is Deputy Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times. She is currently part of the news team. Before moving into this role, she worked with the Bengaluru desk, where she extensively covered civic issues, Karnataka politics, infrastructure, and urban governance. Over the past seven years, Anagha has worked across multiple facets of digital journalism, including reporting, editing, and video production. She briefly stepped away from journalism, only to realize that the newsroom is where she has the most fun. Her interests lie in tracking national and state politics, particularly South Indian politics, as well as social issues and public policy. She has previously worked with Deccan Herald, Mid-day, The Federal, and ThePrint, and has lived and worked in Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Chennai. When she isn't chasing stories, Anagha enjoys long aimless walks, reading, hiking, discovering new teas, and, by her own admission, overthinking almost everything.Read More

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