Man admits killing Assamese girlfriend for ending long 'friendship'

KUTTANAD: Accused Safa Ali testified to the police that he feared the four years of a relationship reaching an end, which prompted him to kill Hazira, a homestay employee.

Assam native Hazira (43), who worked at the Ayana’s homestay in Padmavihar, Vaishyam Bhagom, Alappuzha, was found dead on Wednesday morning. Nedumudi police arrested Safa Ali (36), a native of Assam, from Kottayam during the subsequent investigation.

Hazira's husband died 15 years ago. It was only after becoming friends with Safa Ali, that she came to Kerala from Assam. Four months before, Hazira started to work in the homestay.

Safa Ali, who worked in a hotel in Karunagapally, used to visit Hazira at the homestay from time to time. He boarded a bus from Karunagappally on Tuesday night, reached the Alappuzha roundabout at 10 pm and then arrived at the homestay by auto-rickshaw.

Safa Ali later engaged in a heated argument with Hazira and he suffocated her to death in rage. He used a shawl to lasso her neck and constrict her to death. Later, the body was dragged out of the building. The accused told the police that no one else was involved in the incident. Hazira's gold earring was missing and it was recovered from the accused's bag. The investigation was led by Ambalappuzha DYSP KG Anish and Nedumudi CI Binumon.

Hazira lived in a room adjacent to the kitchen in the homestay. Unlike on normal days, Hazira did not wake up even after 6:30 on Wednesday morning, which alarmed the owner and other staff. After the murder, Safa Ali got out of the homestay at 6 am and left the place by taking a bus. He was arrested from Kottayam on Wednesday night during the search conducted by the police. They reached the spot yesterday afternoon and collected evidence. He was produced in the court in the evening and remanded.