Couple, two children killed in Idukki, buried inside pit

Idukki: Four members of a family were found buried in the backyard of their house at Idukki on Wednesday, three days after they were last seen by neighbours. The police suspect that the family was killed on Sunday night.
The bodies of Kanat Krishnan (51), from Mundanmudi, wife Susheela (54), daughter Arsha (21) and son Arjun (17) were found stacked, one over the other, in a newly dug pit near the cowshed of their house.All four were hacked to death.
The family used to buy milk from their neighbour daily. When they failed to do so for three days, the neighbour alerted Krishnan’s brothers who reached the house but left when they saw that the door was locked.
It was only after a foul smell started emanating from the house on Wednesday morning that locals searched the house and noticed blood marks on the wall and the floor. When they spotted a freshly dug pit near the cowshed, the Kaliyar police were informed.
The police rushed to the spot and uncovered the pit on Idukki SP K B Venugopal’s orders. A knife and a hammer, suspected to have been used for the crime, were also found near the bodies.
Locals alleged that Krishnan used to practice sorcery and high-profile visitors used to visit him in high-end cars and bikes, mostly at night. Neighbours also said that Krishnan and his brothers were involved in a property dispute.