KOCHI: In a new development in the Vaduthala attack, where a man died by suicide after allegedly setting a couple on fire, both residents and police confirmed that ongoing disputes between the neighbours, including nuisance, stalking, and dumping waste on the victims’ premises, led to the unsavoury incident.
William, the deceased, lived alone in his house and had been causing frequent nuisance to the neighbouring family, even going so far as to throw human waste into their premises, said Austin, a local resident. “There was also a dispute that escalated into verbal confrontations, allegedly after William stalked the family and peeped into their house. Eventually, the family installed a CCTV camera inside their premises,” he said.
V V Praveen, the ward councillor of Thattazham, said, “I had received a complaint from the victim earlier, alleging that William was throwing waste into their premises. I spoke to him about it, and William assured me it would not happen again.” He added that the recent attack may have been driven by vengeance over the earlier police complaint or possibly due to rage under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Praveen said that William worked as a painting labourer and lived alone in his residence. His parents had passed away, and he was unmarried. One of the victims, Christopher, remains in critical condition at a private hospital in Kochi with over 60 per cent burns. “He is in serious condition. Whereas his wife, who also suffered burns, has been shifted to the hospital ward and is reportedly stable,” said an officer from Ernakulam Town North police station.