A 67-year-old man was allegedly murdered at his home in Alappuzha after his 13-year-old close relative plotted to steal his gold, according to police. Sivankutty Chettiyar was found with his hands and legs tied and a cloth tightened around his neck. His gold ornaments were missing, initially making the incident appear to be a robbery. Police later said the case took an unexpected turn when questioning of relatives led them to suspect the Class 8 student.

According to investigators, the girl allegedly conspired with her 17-year-old boyfriend, a Plus Two student, and two of his friends to carry out the crime. Police said the group planned to steal the victim’s gold and use the proceeds to purchase an iPhone and a bike. The girl allegedly provided information about the house and helped the group identify where the ornaments were kept. Police also said she had alleged that the victim had touched her inappropriately, with that claim being examined separately.

The murder reportedly took place on Saturday while the victim was alone at home. His wife and daughter were away when the accused allegedly entered through a small passage near a ventilator at the rear of the house. The boys reportedly confronted the man, leading to a scuffle before they overpowered him and tied his hands and legs. A post-mortem examination confirmed that the victim died of smothering, according to police.

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After the killing, the 17-year-old boy allegedly made a video call to his girlfriend and showed her the victim’s body before searching the house for valuables. Police said the girl then guided the group towards the location of the ornaments. Investigators also suspect that the accused attempted to conceal evidence by scattering chilli powder around the crime scene, allegedly to make it difficult for sniffer dogs to track their movements and to reduce the chances of forensic detection.

Police said the girl later sold part of the stolen gold in neighbouring Kollam district for Rs 16,000. Investigators recovered the stolen ornaments, which weighed about 4.5 sovereigns and were valued at approximately Rs 5.61 lakh. Alappuzha SP Vishnu Pradeep said the robbery plan had allegedly been under consideration for some time, with the primary motive appearing to be the theft of gold. The revenge allegation made by the girl is also being investigated separately.

All the minor accused were detained on Tuesday following detailed questioning, police said. Given the seriousness of the alleged offence, investigators said they would examine whether the boys aged 16 and 17 could be tried as adults, subject to the provisions of law. The case has drawn attention because of the alleged involvement of a 13-year-old girl in planning the crime and the reported role of material ambitions in the murder plot.

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