KOTTAYAM: Charred bodies of an elderly couple — Raghavan (92) and Bharatiyamma (90) — were found in their house at Chennithala in Alappuzha on Saturday. Mannar police have arrested their son Vijayan (60) in connection with the incident that occurred around 3am.

The temporary house, constructed with tin sheets and tarpaulin, was also gutted. The bodies were found on the bed.An autorickshaw driver, who went to pick up his daughter from Haripad bus stand, first saw the house on fire. Thought he raised an alarm and the neighbours tried to extinguish the fire, the couple could not be saved. By the time the fire and rescue service unit arrived, the house was completely gutted.
Vijayan, the couple’s fourth son, had been residing with them for the past few months. Earlier, their son-in-law and children were staying with them. Since Vijayan used to create issues frequently, they shifted to a rented house. The residents said that Vijayan used to pick up quarrels with his parents often. He had beaten them two days ago.
The couple, after seeking treatment in Mavelikkara district hospital, had filed a complaint with Mannar police. Police arrived at their home around 9.30pm on Thursday and asked the couple and Vijayan to come to the station on Friday. Though the couple went, Vijayan did not go. Police had then summoned him again on Saturday.
Following the incident, Vijayan was taken into custody around 7am with the help of locals. He confessed to the crime after police showed him the CCTV visuals of him buying petrol from a fuel station in Mannar.
District police chief M P Mohanachandran said Vijayan gave a statement that a property dispute and difficulty in looking after the aged parents led to the murders. He was in a drunken state when he set the house on fire.