The abandoned house of Sukumara Kurup, one of the most wanted criminals in Kerala, is likely to be converted into a government office soon. The unfinished two-storey building is located in Vandanam village near Ambalapuzha in Alappuzha district.
Kurup has been on the run for nearly four decades after faking his death by murdering a man who resembled him, to claim an insurance sum of Rs 8 lakh in 1984 near Mavelikkara. The body of the victim, identified as K.J. Chacko, a film representative, was burned inside an ambassador car to make the insurance company believe that Kurup was killed in an accident.
In December, Ambalapuzha North panchayat president S. Haris had submitted a petition to the revenue ministry, requesting it to take over the building and use it to house government offices. He has received a reply that his petition is being forwarded to the revenue department for further action.
The building’s work remained incomplete ever since Kurup went into hiding in 1984. Haris said the ownership of the land and the house has not been officially registered in Kurup’s name. The land and building taxes have also not been paid for the last 40 years.
“Currently the Ambalapuzha North village office is situated in a temporary rented building. If we can move the village office to Kurup’s house it will benefit the public. There is no point in leaving the building to its fate,” Haris was quoted as saying by The News Minute.
Kurup allegedly strangled Chacko to death with the help of his relative Bhaskara Pillai, driver Ponnappan and a friend Shahu on January 22, 1984. While all the other three accused have been arrested, Kurup remained elusive.
