Neighbour who led search for missing elderly woman held for her murder over four sovereigns of gold

Vellamunda (Wayanad): Thettamala is reeling from shock after discovering that the murder of 72-year-old Kunhami, a woman known for her kindness, was committed by a neighbour. The accused, Hakeem of Cholayil house, orchestrated the crime to steal four sovereigns of gold ornaments, as per the police.

Crime Unveiled
Kunhami, the wife of late Thettmala Vilangil Muhammad, was reported missing on Wednesday evening while her daughter, Sajitha, was at the hospital. Kunhami was alone at home at the time. When Kunhami's relatives found her missing, they along with locals launched a search that yielded no results until Thursday morning. Kunhami’s body was then discovered in an abandoned well approximately 600 meters from her home. Four sovereigns of gold and her veil were missing.

Deceptive Behaviour
Hakeem, who had previously shown little interest in Kunhami, had been seeking information about her in the days leading up to her disappearance. After the murder, Hakeem played a prominent role in the search efforts, including being the first to send a voice message in the local WhatsApp group about Kunhami’s disappearance. He was also actively involved in the search conducted by locals and relatives, which initially cast no suspicion on him. Despite committing the crime, he continued to visit Kunhami’s home to monitor the family’s movements.

Investigation and arrest
The investigation took a crucial turn when CCTV footage from neighbouring houses and information about Hakeem pledging gold at a private bank led the police to suspect him. Detailed interrogation revealed his involvement, and he confessed to the crime. Hakeem had broken into Kunhami’s house, strangled her to death, and then transported her body in his vehicle to dump it in the well.

Public outcry
The arrest of Hakeem, and the recovery of the stolen gold, led to huge public outrage in Thettamala. The scene at the private bank, where the gold was recovered, saw a massive public outcry, requiring police intervention to remove Hakeem from the crowd. Minister O R Kelu and other officials visited Kunhami's home on Sunday to console her grieving family.

Ongoing investigation
The police plan to bring Hakeem to the crime scene on Tuesday for evidence collection.

The case has deeply shaken the community, highlighting both the brutality of the crime and the shocking betrayal by someone who had been involved in the search for the victim.