A father and son were found dead in a tapioca field near the Kilimanoor Block Office, in Chenkikunnu Jn, Nagaroor, on Tuesday. The deceased have been identified as Kochunni (58) and Akhil (31) from Konath Veedu, in Kuriyedithkonam in Chemmarathmukk.

According to the FIR registered by the Nagaroor police, the two men, who resided close by, were found dead near a canal in the field.

The former Nagaroor Panchayat President, Smitha D, told Onmanorama that the duo is suspected to have died from electrocution after coming in contact with a snare installed to deter the wild boars that often destroy crops in the region. However, Smitha said it was uncertain why the men were in the field.

"The bodies of the men were discovered next to tapioca plants. But we do not know if they came to pluck them or not," Nagaroor Panchayat President Jayachandran told Onmanorama.

Jayachandran said that the police and forensic officials have taken note of burn marks on their bodies, pointing to the possibility of electrocution. However, the exact cause is yet to be confirmed. He said that while a wire trap was set up in the field, there was no evidence that it was live. 

The Nagaroor Police have registered a case under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, and are currently investigating the matter. 

The Nagaroor Police CI told Onmanorama that they are awaiting the post-mortem report of the deceased and are investigating whether the owner of the field has the necessary permits to install the trap. He added that the field-owner may be made an accused based on these findings.

Jayachandran told Onmanorama that the region has frequently reported incidents of wild boars attacking crops and damaging farmland. The trap was likely installed to address the issue. He said the panchayat had attempted to address the wild boar issue in the region by hiring a professional shooter. However, they were unable to track down the animals.