The city police on Thursday took into custody Ratheesh, 28, an accused in the murder of a hotelier in broad daylight near Vyttila a day earlier.
Official sources said the accused, a native of Puliyanmala in Idukki district, surrendered before the Circle Inspector of Police, Kattappana, on Thursday. He was later handed over to a team led by Siby Tom, Circle Inspector, Ernakulam South, which brought him to Kochi later in the evening.
The police will subject Ratheesh to thorough questioning to identify the exact motive of the crime. “Although the attack seemed to have followed a brawl over food, we are looking into other possibilities and are checking whether the accused have any cases registered against him,” officials said.
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Johnson alias Albin, 48, who runs a hotel at Janatha Junction near Vyttila, was stabbed to death following a quarrel with Ratheesh on Wednesday. The incident occurred around 3.30 p.m. as the continuation of an altercation the two had through the day over a snack the accused had bought from the victim’s restaurant in the morning.