Two arrested in murder of hotel owner
The accused have been identified as Adimalathura native Rajesh and David of Nepal. They have reportedly confessed to have murdered the deceased, Justin Raj, after he dismissed them from their jobs at the hotel.
The businessman was found murdered in a rented house in Edapazhinji where the accused were staying. Justin, who co-owned a hotel in Vazhuthacaud, employed eight workers, including the accused duo. Both had been irregular in attending work, prompting the victim to terminate their services, the police said.
Confrontation escalated
The confrontation escalated after Justin visited the house to speak with the workers. It is alleged that Rajesh attacked him first, causing him to fall, after which both suspects assaulted him and ultimately strangled him to death.
Justin, who was also involved in real estate and construction sectors, was reported missing after he failed to return from a site visit. His friend, Stanley, later approached the police after several failed attempts to contact him. The police tracked David's mobile phone, which led them to Rajesh.
Subsequently, the police located the suspects from Adimalathura, where they allegedly resisted arrest while in a drunken state. Four police officers were injured during the confrontation.
Justin was the son-in-law of late Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader and former Parassala MLA M. Sathyanesan.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
20 hours ago
- News18
5 Nepalese released from Iranian jail return home
Agency: PTI Kathmandu, Jul 25 (PTI) Five Nepalese, who were in an Iranian jail, have safely returned to the country after their release from the prison, the foreign ministry said on Friday. In a statement, the ministry said Nepali citizens were released by an Iranian court. 'Five Nepalis who were in an Iranian jail have safely returned to Nepal on the night of July 25 following the diplomatic efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," the statement said. The return of these individuals was part of an evacuation effort launched by the Nepal government following the escalation of tension between Iran and Israel in June. They were among those detained in Iran on charges of violating immigration rules. PTI SBP ZH ZH Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- The Hindu
India, Nepal finalise Mutual Legal Assistance pact; discuss revised extradition treaty
India and Nepal are working on a revised extradition treaty and have finalised the text of the Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said in a statement on Wednesday (July 23, 2025). The deliberations took place at the Home Secretary-level talks between the two countries, held on July 22 in New Delhi. The Indian delegation was led by Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, while the Nepalese side was headed by Gokarna Mani Duwadee, Home Secretary, Government of Nepal. 'During the talks, both sides reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral security cooperation as well as border management and agreed to strengthen it further. Their deliberations included issues related to the repair and maintenance of boundary pillars, trans-border criminal activities, working of Border District Coordination Committees, strengthening of border infrastructure particularly Integrated Check Posts, roads and railway networks, empowerment and capacity building of various security related institutions, and ways to strengthen cooperation in disaster risk reduction and management,' the MHA said. The two sides welcomed the finalisation of the Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters and agreed to work towards the early conclusion of the revised extradition treaty. It was also agreed that the next round of Home Secretary-level talks would be held in Nepal at a mutually convenient date.
The Print
3 days ago
- The Print
KIIT to blame for suicides of Nepalese students, says UGC; orders academic audit
Looking into the suicides, a UGC fact-finding committee led by Professor Nageshwar Rao has submitted the report, concluding that the university's conduct amounted to criminal liability. 'Instead of punishment, they (university) favoured the boy by pushing [for] forced illegal compromise with the girl. Later on, this led to suicide. The suicide case could have been averted. Members of the committee and senior administrative personnel of the university are liable for criminal punishment as per law,' the report has said. The consecutive suicides of two Nepalese students rocked the KIIT campus this year—third-year engineering student Prakriti Lamsal on 16 February and first-year BTech student Prisha Shah on 1 May. New Delhi: A fact-finding report by the University Grants Commission (UGC) has squarely blamed the May suicide of a Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) student, Prisha Shah, on the 'unlawful' actions of the university. The UGC has also called for criminal proceedings against the university administration as well as Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) members involved in handling a sexual harassment case brought to the fore by KIIT student Prakriti Lamsal, who died by suicide earlier in February this year. Following the first suicide, that of Lamsal, Nepalese students protested against the university. However, the university responded to the protests with force, coercing students off the KIIT campus after issuing a 'sine die' closure notice, with no future date fixed for the withdrawal of the notice. Security guards allegedly 'manhandled' the protesting Nepalese students, escalating the crisis into a Nepal-India diplomatic issue. The UGC report, now submitted to the Ministry of Education, investigated the circumstances leading to the suicides of the Nepalese students. It has highlighted grave lapses in crisis management, student welfare, and institutional governance at KIIT, held the university leadership accountable for the suicides, and recommended sweeping reforms. Speaking to ThePrint, a KIIT spokesperson said, 'KIIT-DU (KIIT Deemed to be University) is currently reviewing the contents of the report and analysing it thoroughly in its entirety. As a responsible institution, the university will take necessary steps to implement the recommendations in a time-bound and appropriate manner, in keeping with the highest standards of academic and administrative governance.' Also Read: 'No one can touch me'—Harassment charge against Krishna Kalpit shakes Hindi literary world KIIT's systemic failures The UGC fact-finding panel has stated that the KIIT administration 'needs to learn a lot,' considering its handling of Prakriti Lamsal's sexual harassment complaints preceding her suicide. 'This unlawful action of the university led to the suicide later on,' said the report. Weeks before her suicide, Lamsal had twice reported serious allegations of sexual harassment against her peer, Advik Srivastava. The report has further noted that the failure to address her allegations contributed to the second suicide of Prisha Shah, another Nepalese student at the university. The report has found the university-constituted ICC to have failed in its duty of taking lawful action and conducting transparent investigations into the reported sexual harassment case. Instead, the university had chosen an 'illegal compromise' to settle the two complaints raised by Lamsal in the case, the report has stated, adding that the administration 'prioritised the reputation of the university over regulations, law of the land, and international relations of the country'. The report has also criticised KIIT administration's use of 'brute force' against students protesting Lamsal's death while opting not to engage in dialogue. Calling the issuance of the sine die closure notice that forced Nepalese students out of their hostel 'casual decision-making,' the report noted its adverse impact on India-Nepal bilateral relations. The report also highlighted the gaps in the induction of Nepalese students, noting a lack of institutional protocols for orientation, cultural integration, or crisis support. It has highlighted poor hostel conditions, 'substandard' facilities, and Nepalese and Indian students housed in one room, without any consideration for their cultural sensitivities. The UGC has also flagged a disproportionate student intake relative to available infrastructure. 'The existing hostels, classrooms, and welfare services are inadequate to accommodate the real intake,' its report stated. KIIT's actions & what UGC says The UGC report has not only included the 'action taken report' submitted by KIIT but also the subsequent recommendations by the fact-finding commission. KIIT has maintained that it improved its grievance resolution mechanism, constituted a special grievance redressal committee for international students, and implemented a multi-tiered mental health support system, including partnerships with the Ministry of Education's 'Manodarpan' initiative and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's 'Tele-MANAS' programme. The university has also claimed to have introduced 'strict forensic handling protocols' and mandated 'immediate forensic intervention and evidence preservation'. Furthermore, it has created specialised kitchen zones for international students to get culturally inclusive food. However, the university has failed to satisfy the committee, which noted in its report, 'The reforms appear largely theoretical, lacking timely and practical implementation.' The UGC has ordered an academic audit, calling the 30,000-student population 'excessive' compared to the existing infrastructure. It has called for a formal orientation for international students, the installation of lifts in the multi-story hostels, larger rooms for students, and culturally sensitive housing arrangements. The fact-finding team has also recommended replacing the ceiling fans on the campus with wall-mounted fans, emphasising the need for transparency in handling crises such as suicides. This report has been updated with the KIIT spokesperson's response. (Edited by Madhurita Goswami) Also Read: Sexual harassment, suicide & gangrape—Odisha's 1st BJP CM battles fallout from rising crime, 'inaction'
