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Kerala man who set couple ablaze also dies of burn injuries: Police
Police said Sasidharan Nair, who blamed Prabhakara Kurup for the suicide of his son in the 1990s, had filed multiple complaints against him. Nair killed Kurup and his wife a day after a local court cleared him in the cases
Thiruvananthapuram: A 74-year-old man who allegedly burnt alive a couple in Kerala’s Madavoor locality on Saturday died on Monday of the burn injuries he had sustained in the scuffle, police said on the three-decade-old enmity between two families..
Sasidharan Nair (74), an ex-serviceman, who allegedly attacked the couple in their house in Madavoor (Thiruvananthapuram district) on Saturday and later poured petrol on them and burnt them alive also died of burn injuries he received in the scuffle
Police said Sasidharan Nair barged into the house of Prabhakara Kurup (67), on Saturday morning and attacked him with a hammer. His wife Vimala Devi who tried to intervene was also attacked. Police said After hitting the two on their head, Nair poured petrol that he had brought along with him and set them on fire. Kurup died on the spot, his wife later succumbed to the injuries at Thiruvananthapuram medical college hospital
Local people said Kurup and Nair were once very close friends.
In 1996, Kurup, who was working in Bahrain, took Nair’s 22-year-old son to the Gulf offering him a job. But two months later, the son committed suicide in Bahrain alleging that he was not given promised job.
Nair suspected that Kurup had a role in his son’s death and filed cases against him. Police said Nair’s daughter also committed suicide and this fuelled enough vengeance against his one-time friend. There were multiple clashes between the two and Kurup eventually sold his property to move to a neighbouring village.
On Friday, a local court absolved Kurup of the charges levelled at him by Nair.
The following day, Nair turned up at Kurup’s house with a hammer and two bottles of petrol.
Police said Nair also sustained severe burn injuries because Kurup held on tightly to him.
“Our initial investigation shows some misunderstanding, mutual suspicion and revenge led to three tragic deaths. We will take detailed statements of both families,” said a senior police officer who did not want to be named now.
