NEDUMANGAD: The accused people involved in the murder attempt on a young man in Nedumangad were arrested on Monday. Anil Kumar (49), Santhosh Kumar (37) and Mohanan Nair were arrested by Vattappara police on Monday. The three hacked Venkode native Ratheesh Kumar(45), who continues to be in critical condition.

Ratheesh was on good terms with all three of the accused. However, on September 1, a verbal spat ensued between Ratheesh and the first accused in the crime at Venkode Junction. It is said that Ratheesh slapped Anil Kumar in a frenzy. The shame of being slapped in all public view triggered Anil to seek vengeance and that too in the most brutal way. Anil grouped his friends including Santhosh and discussed a plan. In the pretence of a casual meeting, Ratheesh was taken in an autorickshaw to Mohanan Nair’s residence in Venkode.

Here, the first accused Anil Kumar, with the help of Santhosh and his cousin Mohan, tried to kill Ratheesh by hacking him with a machete and later beating him brutally with an iron rod. The gang wrongly assumed Ratheesh's death and left the place. Meanwhile, Mohanan informed the panchayat member about the incident. Vattappara police later reached the place and shifted Ratheesh to medical college.

The third accused, Mohanan, who concealed the information, told the police that he did not see the incident. It was after the inspection of CCTV videos that the police identified all the three involved.

The accused had disputes and previous enmity with Ratheesh, who was an SNDP branch president and public worker. Ratheesh is still in critical condition, undergoing treatment in Ananthapuri Hospital while all the accused were produced in the court and remanded.