In a shocking turn of events, two men in Kerala's Kasargod district were arrested for attacking a 62-year-old man over a childhood dispute. The accused, identified as Balakrishnan and Mathew Valiyaplakkal, assaulted VJ Babu with a stone. This incident stems from a conflict that originated 50 years ago, when they were all in the fourth grade. The attack occurred on June 2, reportedly following an informal reunion.
During the altercation, Babu lost two teeth and was subsequently taken to the Government Medical College in Pariyaram, Kannur. Vellrikundu Inspector TK Mukundan stated that if the teeth were broken during the incident, it would classify the act as a non-bailable offence. He added that the police would consult with doctors for confirmation. The FIR were registered under Sections 126(2), 118(1), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for charges including wrongful restraint, voluntarily causing hurt, and common intention.
What was the matter?
The accused, Balakrishnan and Mathew Valiyaplakkal, were classmates of the victim, Babu, at Natakkallu Aided School in Malom, located in the Balal grama panchayat, 50 years ago. In a police statement following the incident, Babu reported that one of the accused, Balakrishnan, had beaten him while they were in the fourth grade. Despite this past altercation, Babu and Mathew maintained a friendly relationship, working together in farming over the years.
After years apart, when they again met in front of the Janagram Hotel in Malom on Monday, an old dispute re-emerged, leading to a fight. According to police reports to Manorama, Balakrishnan held Babu down while Mathew struck him in the face and body with a stone. Babu explained that the fight had erupted from a long-standing grudge and mentioned the possibility of alcohol being involved. The police stated that Babu agreed to settle the case out of court, demanding Rs 1.5 lakh from the accused as part of the settlement.
