‘Arrived with parcel for daughter, leaves with petrol to kill wife; Aparna left alone’

KOLLAM: Aparna sat waiting leaning on her grandmother's shoulder at their house to see her mother, whose lifeless body was being brought back. When the body arrived, Aparna broke into tears. Her mother’s face was unrecognizable due to the severe burns.

Aparna circled her mother’s body, wrapped in a white sheet, sobbing uncontrollably, a sight that moved everyone present to tears. The presence of her favorite teachers from school doubled the grief. Aparna had often witnessed arguments between her parents, but she never imagined it would lead to such a gruesome incident.

Aparna’s only solace is her grandmother
Padmarajan, who decided to kill his wife Anila, stopped at a fuel station in Kottiyam before heading back home. He bought a parcel of chicken and parotta for his daughter, Aparna, as it was her favorite. Padmarajan, Aparna, and Anila’s mother had it together. He then left in his Omni van with petrol to Kollam.

Assault in Anila’s presence
Padmarajan in his statement to the police said that in the dispute that broke out in the bakery over business partnership on December 1, Haneesh attacked him in front of Anila. The incident was at 8.30 pm. The dispute was related to Anila's plan to drop Haneesh home in her car that day. Padmarajan arrived with petrol, thinking that Anila would drop Haneesh home in her car on Tuesday as well.

Haneesh initially said that he has a share of Rs 60,000 in the bakery. When Padmarajan said that he would return it, Haneesh raised the amount to Rs 1.40 lakh. Padmarajan went to the bakery along with a public worker on Tuesday, ready to pay that too and settle the matter. Although there was a consensus to avoid Haneesh' partnership in the discussion, some of his words angered Padmarajan and the police said the murder was planned after that.