Kochi: With just days away from his First Holy Communion , 10-year-old Risty John was fatally stabbed near his house by a mentally ill neighbour . The special white suit bought for the ceremony became his attire for his funeral today.
In a heart-breaking incident, 10-year-old Risty, a Class IV student of St Albert’s High School was attacked by Aji Devassia with a knife while the former was returning home from a nearby shop. He sustained 17 stab wounds on his neck and hands. Aji, who is mentally unstable, approached the boy and stabbed him without any provocation around 7.30 am.
The motive behind the murder is not known yet. A detailed probe has been launched into the incident, including the alleged drug abuse by the accused. The police have recovered a blood-smeared knife from the crime spot.
It is learnt that Risty went to the shop because his brother Aibel, who used to do the shopping, was not keeping well.
A neighbour who witnessed the crime, said local residents rushed to the spot after she raised an alarm on hearing the child’s cry. Risty’s mother removed the knife from his neck and was rushed to Medical Trust Hospital. But he was pronounced dead on arrival .
The police, meanwhile, maintained that Aji had been mentally unstable and added that the exact reason for the attack was yet to be ascertained. “On a complaint from Aji’s mother, about his becoming violent towards her, we had earlier admitted him to a mental hospital at Thrissur. He was released only a week back,” said M.P. Dinesh, Commissioner of Police, Kochi city.
However, local people claimed that the accused was addicted to liquor and drugs. “He used to watch the children playing games and on many occasions we found him lying unconscious in an inebriated state,” said one of his neighbours.
The accused has been booked under IPC Section 302 and remanded in the Ernakulam sub-jail.