One person has been taken into custody in connection with the hacking of a youth at Kanjirakoli in Payyavoor in Kannur, Kerala, on Tuesday.
Ratheesh, the second accused, is being questioned by the Payyavoor police, while a search is under way to trace the prime accused, Bijesh.
The victim, Nidhish Babu (38) was attacked and killed near Sahipara road in Aminathot around Tuesday aftenoon. The assailants, who arrived on a motorcycle, allegedly used a weapon made at Nidhish’s own workshop to carry out the assault. His wife Shruti (28), who attempted to intervene, was also critically injured in the attack and is undergoing treatment at Kannur Government Medical College Hospital.
According to the police, Nidhish, a blacksmith, who made iron tools in a shed adjacent to his home, was confronted by the gang over a verbal altercation that quickly escalated. In the scuffle, the gang reportedly grabbed a knife from the workshop and repeatedly stabbed him. Shruti’s attempts to intervene led to her being attacked as well.
Nidhish succumbed to his injuries on the spot. The assailants fled the scene before neigbhours could arrive. The police suspect financial and personal disputes may have trigered the murder.
Nidhish, is survived by his parents Babu and Sarswati and two children Sidhharth and Sankeerth. His body has been shifted to Kannur Government Medical College for post-mortem examination.
Published – May 21, 2025 12:38 pm IST
