THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Ajeesh, nabbed for hacking to death a hotel receptionist yesterday, is accused in several criminal cases. He is also in the rowdy-sheeter list of Nedumangad police station.

Ajeesh, who was an employee of a workshop in Anaikonam, became famous after he tried to kill Pothu Shaji, a notorious goonda and accused in about 40 criminal cases. In between a verbal argument, he hit Shaji on his head with the silencer of his bike.

Though Shaji escaped with serious injuries, he was stabbed to death by his relative in September 2019. The murder was committed following a dispute over sharing of goonda money. With Shaji's death, Ajeesh became more powerful and later became active in smuggling of sandalwood, drugs, cannabis etc.

There are about 10 cases pending against him in various stations. He was also accused of raping his wife Lakshmi before marriage. Ajeesh later escaped punishment by marrying her.

Lakshmi and Ajeesh had in 2019 tried to strangle Nitish, a native of Mangalore, near the Korani Sheikh Palace for allegedly defaming Lakshmi on social media. Lakshmi, who summoned Nitish, was caught by the locals but Ajeesh, who went into hiding after the incident, was arrested the next day by the Attingal police.