Kannur: A goods auto driver was shot dead in a house under construction in Kaithapram on Thursday. The victim, identified as KK Radhakrishnan (51), was a BJP activist and a resident of Puniyankode, Mathamangalam. The incident occurred at 7 pm near Kaithapram Library.

The accused, NK Santhosh, a contractor from Perumpadav, has been taken into custody by Pariyaram police. Santhosh was a panchayat shooters’ team member responsible for culling wild boars. Preliminary investigations suggest the murder was the result of a dispute over a house construction contract.

According to the police, Santhosh carried out the murder after posting a series of threatening messages on Facebook. At 4.23 pm, he uploaded a photo of himself holding a gun with the caption, "The task is to hit the target. Certain, I will." Later, at 7.27 pm, he posted again, writing, "Didn’t I tell you? Didn’t I tell you not to harm my girl? I can bear it if I lose my life, but my girl... I won’t forgive you."

The gunshot was first heard near the newly constructed house around 7 pm. Initially, neighbours mistook it for firecrackers. However, Radhakrishnan’s son ran outside crying, alerting the locals. Reports suggest a long-standing feud between the two men led to the killing.

By the time villagers arrived, Radhakrishnan was lying in a pool of blood on the veranda. He was rushed to the Medical College Hospital at Pariyaram but was pronounced dead on arrival. Pariyaram police, who arrived shortly after, searched the house and its surroundings, eventually finding Santhosh hiding inside. He was reportedly intoxicated at the time of his arrest and told the police, "I will confess to everything".

The firearm used in the shooting has not yet been recovered. Two months ago, Radhakrishnan had filed a police complaint against Santhosh over a personal dispute, after which Santhosh had repeatedly threatened him.