Four arrested for hacking youth to death in Thiruvananthapuram over neighbourhood dispute

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Police have arrested all four accused in the murder of a youth who was hacked to death in the state capital following a long-standing neighbourhood dispute. The victim, Vishakh, a native of Champakkada in Vanchiyoor, was allegedly murdered by his neighbour Pradeep and three others. According to police, the murder was an act of revenge, as Vishakh had earlier been accused of attacking and injuring Pradeep with a sharp weapon.

Police said Vishakh and Pradeep had been involved in a long-standing dispute. In December last year, Vishakh allegedly attacked Pradeep with a sharp weapon during an altercation. He was arrested in the case and had recently been released from judicial custody.

The murder took place at around 2 pm on Sunday on the road in front of Vishakh's house at Champakkada, near the Passport Office in Vanchiyoor. Vishakh sustained severe injuries to his hands, legs and abdomen in the attack. Police and an ambulance later shifted him to the hospital, where he was declared dead.

According to police, Pradeep had arrived at the scene in a car along with three accomplices. The four fled in the vehicle after the attack. Investigators later traced the getaway car to a parking ground at Pulayanarkotta and arrested all four accused.