Accused in double-murder case killed in drunken brawl

Fight broke out over a song that Vishnuroop sang under the influence of alcohol | Irked over it, duo attacked him viciously

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A 32-year-old man accused of double-murder at Vazhayila in 2011 was bludgeoned to death by two men at a hotel room at Enikkara within Aruvikkara police station limits on Wednesday night. Vishnuroop aka Manichan of Vazhayila was murdered allegedly by Deepak Lal and his friend Arun G Raj. The duo had fled the place after committing the crime and were later arrested by the cops.

Deepak, 33, and Arun, 32, are residents of Manikandeswaram and they had previous enmity with Vishnuroop, police said. Aruvikkara SHO D Shibu Kumar said Vishnuroop had attacked Arun six months back and since then he was harbouring a grudge against Vishnuroop. The room was taken on rent by Vishnuroop’s friend, Harikumar, on Monday. On Wednesday, Arun and Deepak joined Vishnuroop and Harikumar for drinks. During the binge, the two had picked up a quarrel with Vishnuroop and attacked him with a hammer that they had kept.

Sources said the fight broke out over a song that Vishnuroop sang under the influence of alcohol. The song apparently irked the duo, who already bore grudge towards Vishnuroop, and they attacked him viciously. Harikumar too sustained injuries. As per the police, the crime occurred by 9.15pm and Vishnuroop’s face and head got crushed in the attack.

Though he was rushed to the Medical College hospital, he breathed his last by midnight. Vishnuroop rose to notoriety after the infamous double murder that rocked the city in 2011. Two gangsters, Kokkode Shyam and Praveen, were hacked to death by a gang comprising Vishnuroop on petty issues.

Recent macabre killings in Thiruvananthapuram district

• A Ayyappan, a Tamil Nadu native, working as a hotel receptionist in Thampanoor was hacked to death in broad daylight on February 25, 2022. The accused Ajeesh was arrested for the brutal murder.
• Vinithamol from Nedumangad was stabbed to death by a serial killer from Tamil Nadu at a plant nursery near Ambalamukku on February 6, 2022.
• Rajendran of Vellamadam near Thovala was arrested for the murder.
• Gayathri, a 24-year-old woman, was murdered by her lover Praveen in a hotel room at Thampanoor on March 5, 2022. It was done after the woman refused to back out of the relationship.
• Sumesh, a history-sheeter, was mowed down by a three-member gang using their car near Chackai on March 31, 2022. The drunken brawl in a bar culminated in the murder.
• Mental Deepu, a history-sheeter, was bludgeoned to death by his friends-turned-foes at Chanthavila on February 2, 2022. The incident occurred under the influence of alcohol.
• Aji Kumar, a PWD staffer, was murdered at his home at Kallambalam by one of his friends under the influence of alcohol on January 30, 2022.
• Aji, a friend of Aji Kumar, was mowed down by his friend Sajeev near Kallambalam on February 1, 2022 using his pick-up van. Sajeev did the crime after Aji alleged that he was behind Aji Kumar’s murder.
• Sudheesh, a 32-year-old history-sheeter, was brutally hacked to death by a rival group near Pothencode on December 11, 2021. The assailants chopped off Sudheesh’s leg and threw it on road, which was captured in a CCTV. Gang rivalry was the reason for the murder.