KOCHI: A 51-year-old man was arrested for allegedly attempting to kill a young fish vendor by repeatedly hitting him on the head with a hammer on Sunday near SRM Road in Ernakulam.
The accused, Krishnan, of Ponnekara, was arrested by a police team led by Assistant Commissioner Cibi Thomas of the Ernakulam Central police.
The police said the accused had been repeatedly harassing the victim, who runs a fish stall at Manapattiparambu. The victim had earlier questioned the accused over his conduct, which allegedly led to animosity between the two.
Police said the accused had attempted to harm the victim on several occasions while he was returning home at night. Around 1am on August 23, the accused allegedly followed the victim, who was returning home after attending a relative’s wedding, with a hammer concealed in his waistband.
When they reached an isolated stretch of road, the accused allegedly struck the victim on the back of his head with the hammer. After he fell unconscious, Krishnan allegedly struck him several times before fleeing the spot.
Children living nearby witnessed the incident and alerted the victim’s relatives. He was taken to hospital and remains critical, police said.
The investigating team examined CCTV footage for several hours and focused on people moving through the area at night, eventually identifying the accused. Police said Krishnan fled Ernakulam claiming that he was travelling to Coimbatore for work. CCTV footage from KSRTC bus stands and railway stations showed that he had boarded a train towards Thrissur. The investigation team followed his movements and later traced him to Guruvayur.
The accused was produced before court and remanded in judicial custody.