Pipe connection cut, all doors locked; Murder of four in Thodupuzha was pre-meditated

Thodupuzha: Police sources revealed that dispute over family property led to the cold-blooded and gruesome murder of Faisal and his family by Faisal’s father Hameed. The police have arrested Faisal’s father Hameed (79) for homicide and his interrogation is ongoing. They said that the murder was pre-meditated. 

The incident took place at 12.30 am on Saturday at Cheenikuzhy in Thodupuzha. Abdul Faisal (45), wife Sheeba (45), daughters Mehar (16) and Afsana (14) were the deceased. 

Hameed set the family on fire while they were sleeping. It is also hinted that he emptied the water tanks, cut the electricity connection and water connections to the house and neighbouring houses and locked all doors to his house. He had also stored petrol in the house. 

The locals came to know about the incident after hearing screams from Faisal’s house around midnight. When the neighbours rushed to the scene, they saw smoke and fire rising from the house. The front door of the house was found to be locked. They broke open the door and entered the house but found Faisal’s room locked from outside. 

Rahul, one of the neighbours who were present there, said Faisal’s daughters phoned him seeking help. He said that he saw Hameed hurling bottles filled with petrol into the house even then and later fleeing the scene. Hameed went to a relative’s place after the incident and confessed to the crime. 

Hameed and his son were not on good terms for long due to disputes over property. Hameed was living with his son and family in Thodupzuha earlier but later shifted to Maniyankudi a few years back. Hameed had written some 50 cents of land in his son’s name during that time. In 2018, Hameed returned to Thodupzuha and demanded his land back. The rifts between them started then. Many including the panchayat member intervened in the matter and tried to reach a settlement between the two parties. Faisal and his family decided to move out of the house in Thodupuzha and the preparations for that were progressing in a full-fledged manner. Faisal had bought home appliances for their new house and had decided to shift after the holy month of Ramadan. 

Hameed had on earlier occasions told other people that he would not let his son and family live in peace in their new house. But his threats were not taken seriously by others.