KALPETTA: A property dispute led to the murder of a 12-year-old boy allegedly by a distant relative at Anchukunnu, Panamaram, here on Tuesday. Later, the accused also committed suicide by hanging from a tree.

The victim Athul Krishnan, son of Mohanan and Shubha of Anchukunnu, was hacked while he was on the way to buy milk around 7 a.m. The neck and hands of the child were almost chopped off. Though the locals rushed the boy to the district hospital, he died on the way.

The accused Vijaya Prasad, 32, son of Kalathinkal Rishabha Keerthy, was later found hanging from a tree. A knife with bloodstains was also recovered from the spot.

It is said that there were quarrels between the two families over the border of the land and also on the loss suffered by Vijaya Prasad in ginger farming jointly in the leased land.

Meenangadi circle inspector T.N. Sajeev told DC that though there were multiple disputes between the two families residing nearby, “none believed that a child would be murdered on such minor issues.”

The bodies were shifted to Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode, for post-mortem. The Panamaram police registered cases for murder and suspected case of suicide. Athul, a student of Government UP School, Anchukunnu, has a sister Aparna.