Kattappana: A Special Investigation Team of the police has cracked the murder of a 64-year-old woman at her house at Narakakkanam locality a few days ago.

Vettiyangal Thomas Varghese, alias Saji, has been arrested over the murder of his neighbour Chinnamma, 64. After the murder, he set her ablaze after releasing LPG to make it seem like an accidental death.

Saji was arrested in the wee hours of Saturday from Kambam in Tamil Nadu, while he was attempting to flee.

Saji, 54, is a social worker and a Karate blackbelt holder. He has been taken into custody. 

The SIT could achieve the breakthough within 48 hours after it was constituted. 

Initial reports stated that Chinnamma died in an LPG cylinder blast in her kitchen, but the preliminary probe by the local police concluded that it was a murder. 

How it all happened

On November 23, around 12.30pm, the accused reached Chinnamma’s house and asked for water. Chinnamma, who was washing clothes outside, went into the house to get water. The accused followed her inside and hit her head with a wooden plank. Though Chinnamma tried to defend herself when she was injured, the accused beat her up brutally and slashed her many times with a sickle. Soon, Chinnamma fell unconscious.

After grabbing all the jewellery he could - approximately 4 sovereigns of gold -  including a chain and the bangles she wore, the accused got some clothes from another room and put them over her. Then, he cut the LPG cylinder’s tube and set her ablaze. 

The gold jewellery was pledged on the same day for Rs 1,25,000. 

The 25-member SIT behind the hunt for Saji was led by Idukki District Police Chief V U Kuriakose. Kattappana Deputy Superintendent of Police V A Nishadmon, Station House Officers A Ajith, Vishal Johnson, V S Nawas, B S Binu and Sub-Inspectors Sajimon Joseph, Augustine, Benny Baby, K M Babu and other police personnel were part of the team. 

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