Kochi: In Ernakulam's Chendamangalam, three family members were brutally murdered with an iron rod allegedly by a neighbour. Another victim suffered severe injuries. Kannan, his wife Usha and their daughter Vinisha were killed, while their son-in-law Jithin is critically injured and undergoing treatment. The attack was carried out by their neighbour Ritu Jayan.

After the assault, the accused arrived at the police station on a motorcycle, where he was arrested. It is believed that the murder occurred after a heated argument between Ritu and the family, with whom he had a history of ongoing disputes.

The accused, who is allegedly involved with a local gang, had three prior cases against him, including two instances of being remanded in custody, according to the police. Neighbours claimed that Ritu had been harassing them under the influence of drugs. The police also revealed that Ritu had returned from Bengaluru just two days before the incident.

Residents stated that they had repeatedly complained to the police about Ritu's aggressive behaviour, however, no formal complaints had been filed until now. Local sources also claimed that he had used a mental health certificate to evade previous police action.