Girl, 13, plots to kill relative to fund iPhone, bike; watch murder over video call

A 67-year-old man was killed while alone at his home in Kerala, his hands and legs tied and a cloth tightened around his neck. With his gold chain and other ornaments kept at the house found missing, the case initially appeared to be robbery gone wrong. But it took an unexpected turn when police identified the mastermind as a 13-year-old girl, the victim's close relative.The Class 8 student, according to police, conspired with her 17-year-old boyfriend, a Plus Two student, to kill the man, Sivankutty Chettiyar. Their motive was to steal his gold to fund an iPhone and a bike for the boy and his two friends, who were also involved in the crime.The murder took place on Saturday in Alappuzha. As police began piecing together the clues, they questioned close relatives, including the 13-year-old girl. However, police immediately noticed repeated contradictions in her statements, raising their suspicion. Detailed questioning eventually uncovered the chilling plot.The girl had conspired with her boyfriend and told him that gold could be stolen from the house, according to police. She also told police that the man had allegedly touched her inappropriately and that she held a grudge against him. Police, however, believe that the primary motive appeared to be theft, while the girl’s allegation was being examined separately. "On Saturday evening, the boyfriend and his friends came here at the girl’s instigation. They came to steal the gold and money kept in the house. Additionally, there is a revenge angle, as the girl has alleged that the man touched her inappropriately. But the main motive was stealing the gold," Alappuzha SP Vishnu Pradeep said.The man’s wife and daughter were away when they arrived at the house. According to police, they entered through a small passage near a ventilator at the back of the house. The boys then confronted the man, leading to a scuffle. The trio knocked him down and tied his hands and legs. The post-mortem examination later confirmed that he died of smothering, police said.Immediately after the murder, the boy video-called his girlfriend and showed her the body before beginning to search the house for gold.According to police, the girl also assisted the group in locating the ornaments, giving them directions on where they could be found.The crime appeared to have been meticulously planned and police suspect that the accused may have drawn inspiration from movies. After the murder, they scattered chilli powder at the scene, apparently in an attempt to prevent sniffer dogs from picking up their trail and to avoid leaving forensic clues.Following the murder, the girl sold part of the stolen 4.5-sovereign gold in neighbouring Kollam district for Rs 16,000, police found. The gold, worth Rs 5,61,600, has since been recovered by the police."The robbery plan was in the works for a long time," the SP said, adding that the robbery was "planned to buy an iPhone for the girl and a bike for her boyfriend and friends."All the minor accused were detained on Tuesday following detailed questioning, police said.Given the serious nature of the crime, police said they would explore the possibility of trying the accused boys, aged 16 and 17, as adults, as permitted under law.- EndsPublished On: Aug 19, 2026 10:46 IST