Hotel receptionist murdered in Thampanoor

Police arrest accused from Nedumangad as incident is caught on CCTV

The receptionist of a hotel near Thampanoor here was hacked to death on Friday. The police arrested the alleged assailant within a few hours of the incident that was captured on the surveillance cameras in the hotel.

The Thampanoor police identified the victim as Deenan, alias Ayyappan, 34, of Nagercoil. He was attacked by Ajesh, alias Subhash, of Nettampally in Nedumangad around 8.30 a.m., the police said.

Ajesh, who reached the hotel near Overbridge on a motorcycle, rushed towards Ayyappan who was sitting at the reception counter and hacked him with a machete. He then fled from the scene, the police said. A room boy who was at the hotel at the time had gone to the rear side of the building to dispose of garbage.

Ajesh was caught after some time from Nedumangad along with the purported murder weapon. While being apprehended, he attempted to attack members of the Shadow Police team who overpowered him, the police said.

The police suspect the murder to be linked to a dispute Ajesh had with Deenan in the hotel a week ago. The accused told the police on Friday that Deenan had abused him then. The investigators have also received information that the duo was involved in another argument nearly six months ago when Ajesh and his wife had stayed in the hotel. The claim is yet to be ascertained.

Ajesh who figured on the rowdy-sheeter list prepared by the Nedumangad police has been involved in around 10 criminal cases. A year ago, he attempted to murder a man at Korani, near Attingal, suspecting him of having an affair with his wife.

The police said Deenan, who is survived by his parents and two sisters, had been working in the hotel for around four years. While he had returned home during the COVID-19 lockdown, he rejoined work nine months ago.