Techie murder: Akash’s family goes into hiding, neighbours in shock

Ram Kumar (27) who lives a few blocks away from Akash’s house, said that the family has gone into hiding. “We last saw Muthukumar (his father) and Vignesh (elder brother) on Tuesday morning. Since then police have been posted outside their house and we came to know that they have gone to an undisclosed location fearing public outrage,” he said. 

Ram Kumar said that Muthukumar lived with his wife and three sons in their two-storey home for over 30 years and had been running the Nethaji Mercy Home where around 15 differently abled children lived. “Although we have been neighbours for the last three decades, Muthukumar and his family do not interact with us. Only their second son Vignesh is friendly with us,” he said.

A police constable who also lives in the same street and played cricket with Aakash said, “We have played cricket together several times. We still cannot believe what we have heard,” he said on conditions of anonymity. A few residents claimed to have seen Induja visit Akash’s house at least on one or two occasions. 22-year-old Akash has been arrested for killing Induja by setting her ablaze. The victim’s mother and sister are undergoing treatment.