Construction worker bludgeoned to death by co-workers at resort site in Kochi; three held

Kochi: A construction worker was allegedly bludgeoned to death by three of his co-workers following an alcohol-fuelled altercation between them at a resort construction site in Amballoor panchayat near Mulanthuruthy in Ernakulam on Thursday night. The deceased has been identified as Mujeeb, aged between 45 and 50, a native of Mayyanad in Kollam.

The accused persons have been identified as Raju, Renjith and Sumesh, all natives of Thiruvananthapuram Rural. They have been booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 103(1) for murder and 3(5) for acts done by several persons in furtherance of a common intention. The police have detained them.

According to the Mulanthuruthy Police, the four men had been living and working together at Chakkanattu House in Njandukadu Thuruth, where a residential building was being converted into a resort.

The police said the incident occurred sometime between 6 pm and 11 pm on Thursday. Preliminary investigations suggest that the three accused were consuming alcohol in a shed near a paddy field when Mujeeb joined them. A heated argument broke out among the intoxicated men, which soon turned violent.

During the assault, Mujeeb was allegedly struck on the head with a machete-like weapon available at the construction site, inflicting fatal injuries. Instead of seeking medical help, the three men allegedly fled the spot, leaving Mujeeb lying there. Local residents later discovered the body and alerted the police.

The three suspects were later traced and detained during late-night raids led by Mulanthuruthy Inspector Maheshkumar S. The police said the accused have claimed that the attack stemmed from earlier personal disputes with Mujeeb rather than a sudden quarrel during the drinking session. 

“We are verifying these claims and are also examining whether any of the accused have previous criminal antecedents. Mujeeb's body will be shifted to the Government Medical College Hospital, Kalamassery, for post-mortem examination. The formal arrest of the three accused will be recorded after the completion of interrogation,” said police sources.

Illegal resort construction under scanner
As the murder investigation progressed, authorities found that the crime occurred at a resort construction site allegedly operating in violation of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms.

According to Amballoor Grama Panchayat President KG Ranjith, the property is located on the banks of the Konothupuzha, which is connected to the ecologically sensitive Vembanad Lake and falls within CRZ limits.

“That is a place that falls under the CRZ (Coastal Regulation Zone) limits. It is an area where no construction activities of any kind are allowed without the panchayat’s permission. There were about 10 to 15 local families residing there, but due to commuting difficulties from that isolated side, many left. The resort mafia took over these vacant family properties and has been carrying out illegal construction without complying with any laws,” Ranjith told Onmanorama.

He said the local body had earlier issued stop memos to four other unauthorised resort projects in the area. However, despite these administrative orders, illegal construction at the property where the murder occurred allegedly continued.

The property is owned by a local resident but has reportedly been leased to a developer for a long-term commercial project. “He then modified all the residential rooms, converted them into multiple rooms, and set up sheet roofing work on top. Fully knowing that it is a protected area where such developments cannot be executed, they went ahead anyway. The unauthorised work was actively ongoing when the crime took place. A fresh stop memo would be served on the property management on Saturday,” Ranjith added.