Kerala: Karuvatta murder victim's family maintained a distance from neighbours, says ward member

ALAPPUZHA: Sasidharan, the contractor who undertook the construction of Sivankutty's house in the SNDP LP School ward of Karuvatta panchayat, remarked he was shocked to learn concerning the murder.

Key points

• While he termed Sivankutty "soft-spoken", local residents remarked the family kept aloof from neighbours.
• Sasidharan described Sivankutty as a kind-hearted man who paid the construction workers regularly.
• Ward member K R Rajan remarked the family generally maintained a distance from neighbours as well as local authorities.
• He remarked the property was originally purchased from a family in Madapurackal by a real estate dealer from Ambalappuzha.
• Both his daughters, including the mother of the accused girl, were working in the Gulf.

"I had been in contact with the family for almost a year after taking up the construction of their house. A real estate dealer from Ambalappuzha introduced me to the family. Sivankutty was a soft-spoken man who always treated me politely. The house is barely 25m from the rented house where the family had been staying, " Sasidharan remarked.

Sasidharan described Sivankutty as a kind-hearted man who paid the construction workers regularly. "We didn't have much interaction with the family beyond the construction work. Their elder daughter is in the Gulf and was sending funds for the work, " the contractor stated.

He remarked the property was originally purchased from a family in Madapurackal by a real estate dealer from Ambalappuzha. This person afterwards sold it to Sivankutty. The family initially lived in a rented house owned by the dealer. Sivankutty afterwards purchased 10 cents and began constructing houses for his two daughters.

"Both his daughters, including the mother of the accused girl, were working in the Gulf. While the foundation for the other had been laid, " Rajan remarked, one of the houses was nearing completion.

He remarked he had identified it tough to maintain regular contact with the family even as the ward member. "They generally preferred to maintain their distance from the panchayat authorities and local residents, " he remarked.

Taken together, the developments around kerala: Karuvatta murder victim' s family maintained a distance from neighbours, says ward point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.