Kerala man shoots dead brother, uncle over property dispute

Thiruvananthapuram: In a fit of rage, a 55-year-old man shot dead his younger brother and seriously injured his uncle, who later passed away in the wee hours of Tuesday following a dispute over selling family property, the police said.

The gruesome incident occurred at the home of popular Karimpanal family at Kanjirapally in Kottayam district on Monday evening.

Karimpanal family for generations are into plantation and owns estates besides resorts in the hilly areas of Kottayam district.

According to police, 55-year-old George Kurian who is settled at Kochi and is into real estate business and is presently going through tough times on account of the Covid pandemic, arrived at his ancestral house where his parents also live during the weekend.

There were a few heated arguments between the siblings and on Monday late evening, George wanted to sell two acre of property of theirs, but was objected to by his 50-year-old younger brother Renju Kurian.

The aged parents unable to see what was happening locked themselves in their room.

George badly wanted to sell the land to come out from the tight financial position he is presently in, but Renju was not agreeable to it and intervening in the dispute was the siblings, 73-year-old uncle Mathew Kurian, who is understood to have supported Renju.

After a heated argument, George pulled out his licensed revolver and fired four times at point blank range at Renju and his uncle.

Renju died soon, while their uncle passed away in the wee hours of Tuesday at the hospital where he was in Kottayam.

Soon the police came and took into custody George and later his arrest was recorded.