Kattappana: The apparent motive behind the murder of a school teacher by her husband last week at Kanchiyar in Idukki district of Kerala has been revealed with the latter's arrest the other day.
Anumol (Valsamma), a 27-year-old nursery teacher, was allegedly killed by her husband Bijesh Benny (29). Her body was found wrapped in a blanket and hidden under the cot in the bedroom of their house.
A complaint filed by Anumol against Bijesh with the Women Cell of the police over their marital disputes had provoked him, said a police officer who is part of the investigation team.
He was drunk and was in a fit of rage as he attacked Anumol.
“During interrogation, Bijesh told us that he had picked up a fight with Anumol while being drunk, during which he killed her. He also said that Anumol had complained to the Women Cell against him, which provoked him,” said Deputy Superintendent of Police, Kattappana V A Nishad Mon, who is in charge of the investigation.
Hunt for Bijesh
Bijesh who was absconding soon after the murder was taken into custody from a forested part, near Kumily, on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu state border on Sunday.
Bijesh had filed a complaint at Kattappana police station on March 19, stating that Anumol was missing since the previous day. A subsequent search by Anumol’s parents John and Philomena of Pambanar in Peerumedu, also in Idukki district, and her brother had found the body under the cot. Soon, Bijesh fled.
A manhunt was launched by the police and CCTV visuals of Bijesh abandoning his mobile phone at Kumily were obtained. The police also learnt that he had spent some time at a bus waiting shelter on the Tamil Nadu side, close to the inter-state border near Kumily.
Soon, the police received more visuals of Bijesh in jeans and a T-shirt crossing the check-post and these images were widely circulated over social media.
Apparently sensing that he was being traced, Bijesh changed his appearance to ‘mundu’ and shirt and reached Rosapookandam on the Kerala side of the state border, when he was arrested by a police team led by Kumali station house officer Jobin Antony.
Anumol and Bijesh have a five-year-old child.