KOLLAM: In a suspected gang rivalry, a Karunagappally native was hacked to death inside his home, and another man was seriously injured in separate attacks by four gang members early Thursday.
The deceased has been identified as Santhosh, who lived with his mother, Omana.
Following the incident, police suspect the gang traveled to Vavvakavu in Ochira and attacked another youth, Aneer, a native of Oachira. The attempted murder took place in front of a roadside eatery.
Santhosh was attacked around 2.30 am when the four-member gang first created panic by hurling bombs at his house. They then broke down the door, entered the home, and brutally assaulted him. The assailants hacked Santhosh and fractured his leg with a sword and metal rod, inflicting severe injuries on his legs and shoulders.
Despite efforts by locals and police to rush him to Karunagappally Taluk Hospital, he succumbed to his injuries. His body has been shifted to Paripally Medical College for a postmortem examination.
According to police, Santhosh was an accused in two murder cases from 2020 and 2024. He was out on bail at the time of the attack.
Santhosh's mother said there had been previous attempts on his life. "The attackers arrived wearing masks and threw explosives at the house. They stormed in and killed Santhosh in front of me. They had tried to attack him before. Even when I screamed for them to stop, they did not back down," she said.
Meanwhile, Aneer sustained severe injuries to his hands and legs and has been admitted to Alappuzha Medical College Hospital.
Police suspect a connection between the two incidents and have deployed forces at both locations. Officials believe the attacks were linked to ongoing gang rivalries. The incidents occurred between 2.30 am and 3.00 am.