An elderly couple was hacked to death at Cheradi, near Moolamattom, under the Kanjar police station limits in Idukki on Wednesday.
The deceased were identified as Keeriyanikkal Kumaran, 68, and his wife Thankamma, 62. The police said that their son Ajesh, 35, was suspected have committed the crime and had been absconding after the incident.
According to the Kanjar police, the incident occurred on Tuesday night. Kumaran and Thankamma were Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme workers. As they failed to turn up for work on Wednesday, Kumaran’s sister Kamalakshi reached their home and found the couple injured. She alerted the neighbours and the police.
Kumaran was found dead and Thankamma died on the way to the Kottayam Government Medical College Hospital.
The police suspected family dispute behind the murder. Local residents said Ajesh had quarrelled with his parents for two days and had threatened neighbours against entering his house.
The bodies have been shifted to the Thodupuzha Taluk Hospital mortuary for post-mortem examination.
