Karuvatta Murder Case: Girl Breaks Down During Interrogation; Accused Planned to Mislead Probe

Alappuzha: The accused in the murder of the elderly man at Karuvatta in Alappuzha had reportedly prepared a specific plan to mislead the investigation if they were arrested. All the accused gave identical answers to questions posed by the police. Despite being arrested at different times, they repeated the same account about why they had reached Haripad and how they had shared their location.

The accused initially denied involvement and attempted to divert suspicion towards others. However, they eventually confessed during questioning after the police confronted them with digital evidence and other details.

The 13-year-old girl reportedly broke down in tears during questioning. According to the police, she told them that no one at home was willing to accept her wishes and that she had never experienced the affection of her parents, which eventually led her to the crime.

Questioning revealed that the girl had planned the murder to raise money to buy an iPhone and a motorcycle for a friend. The victim, Shivankutty Chettiar, had opposed her excessive use of the phone, which reportedly led to resentment towards him. The police said the girl had learnt about planning crimes and destroying evidence from films.

Insecure Living Conditions Turned Girl Into Accused, Say Police

The police said the 13-year-old's insecure living circumstances played a role in turning her into an accused in the case. The girl has also given a statement regarding her circumstances.

Following the divorce of her parents, she started living with her maternal grandparents in Paravur.

While studying in Class 6, the girl left home following a dispute with relatives and was later traced by the police. When brought to the police station, she reportedly spoke against her mother and grandmother. She was subsequently placed in a children's home in Alappuzha before later moving into a rented house in Karuvatta.

Meanwhile, her mother went abroad for work. As her grandmother left home before dawn to sell lottery tickets, the girl was often alone at home. The police said the girl had arguments with her grandmother over her use of the phone at night.

The brutal murder that shocked the state took place on Saturday night. The accused allegedly trespassed into Shivankutty Chettiar's house and strangled him to death. The murder was allegedly carried out by the girl's friends at her direction.