KOCHI: A 42-year-old man accused of murdering an elderly couple at Vadakkekara near North Paravoor seven years ago, was arrested on Wednesday.The Vadakkekara police arrested Joshy, a native of Neendur near North Paravoor, who was staying in Malappuram, following a tip-off received by Ernakulam Rural police chief K Karthick.
The police said Joshy was an extreme alcoholic and had murdered Madaplathuruth residents Jose, 70, and Rosily, 64, in 2014 to steal their gold ornaments. He was a friend of the couple’s son Rojo. Police said robbery was the prime motive behind the twin murder.The crime took place when Joshy came from Malappuram to attend the Kodungallur Bharani festival with his younger daughter on April 3, 2014. After dropping the girl at his brother’s house in Neendur, he spent all his money on liquor. Later, he approached the couple to borrow money.
However, they told him that they were facing severe financial crunch and were planning to rent out the rooms upstairs. Joshy then asked Jose to show him the rooms so that he could bring possible tenants. However, when they reached upstairs, Joshy knifed Jose from behind. He then came down and attacked Rosily with the same knife and fled with the gold ornaments they were wearing.
After the crime, Joshy returned to Malappuram in a cab and paid the fare after selling one of the ornaments at a jewellery shop on the way. A day later, he called up the cab driver to tell him that he was coming to Vadakkekara to attend the couple’s funeral. Suspicious, the cab driver alerted the police who arrested Joshy the same month. However, he went absconding after getting bail.