Construction worker from Odisha found murdered in Kannur; brother-in-law in custody

Kannur: A construction worker from Odisha was stabbed to death at his rented quarters at Pooparamba in the hill panchayat of Eruvessy in Kannur on Tuesday night. The Kudiyanmala police said the victim's brother-in-law from the same village in Odisha was taken into custody and booked for the murder.

The victim, Philip Kimaka, who was in his early 30s, and the accused as Ramesh Dimbutika (27), were both natives of Anuguruthi in Kadama village of Rayagada district of southern Odisha. Ramesh was married to Philip's sister.

According to the Kudiyanmala police, the incident occurred at around 9.30 pm. The police were alerted by Pooparamba ward member Sreenath N K around 11.35 pm, after which Ramesh was booked under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for murder and arrested.

Panchayat member Sreenath said Ramesh and Philip had longstanding disputes. "Both were construction workers and were living in the panchayat for the past three years," he said. 

The two were staying in a small rented house, with two other casual workers employed under the Jal Jeevan Mission living next door. Hearing the commotion, they informed their supervisor, who lived about 100 metres away. The supervisor then contacted Sreenath.

"When I reached, I saw Ramesh sitting outside the shop in front of the quarters. I pushed open the door and saw Philip lying in a pool of blood in the kitchen," Sreenath said.

Sreenath said another relative from Odisha had joined the two men about five days ago. "He had packed his bags and was preparing to leave when we reached there. He was fed up with their constant quarrels and said he did not know Philip had been killed," Sreenath said.

The body was shifted to Government Medical College Hospital, Pariyaram, for autopsy.