The Kottur police have arrested a 38-year-old man from Zamin Kottampatti near Pollachi on charges of murdering his cousin in a brawl late on Sunday.
L. Gopalakrishnan, a resident of Aathumedu at Zamin Kottampatti, was arrested for bludgeoning his cousin Ranjith Kumar (32), who had been staying at Makaliyamman Kovil Street at Zamin Kottampatti.
The police said that Kumar got married to a woman 10 years ago but the couple separated following differences of opinion. A daily wage worker by occupation, Kumar had been residing alone after the death of parents.
According to the police, Kumar used to consume alcohol with Gopalakrishnan, a bachelor and driver by occupation. On Sunday, Kumar bought liquor and went to Gopalakrishnan’s house around 7 p.m. As they were having liquor, an argument broke out between them.
Kumar allegedly made derogatory references to Gopalakrishnan’s mother, who is staying alone in another village, following which the latter assaulted him. The duo came out of the house fighting and Gopalakrishnan smashed Kumar’s head with a stone that he managed to pull out from the compound wall. As Kumar fell down, Gopalakrishnan assaulted him again on the head, the police said. Gopalakrishnan telephoned his neighbour Uthararaj around 8.20 p.m. and informed about the incident. Though an ambulance arrived at the location after being alerted by Mr. Uthararaj, the crew found Kumar dead.
The Kattur police reached the spot later and shifted the body to the District Headquarters Hospital, Pollachi, for autopsy. Gopalakrishnan was arrested and remanded in judicial custody on Monday.
