
Kerala mass murders likely a fallout of financial strain, family bickering: Reports
As Afan's family faced a crisis, the relatives apparently jeered at them; police believe he decided to take revenge before killing himself and those close to him
Financial hardships and the resultant family bickering may have led to the macabre murders of six persons in Venjaramoodu by a youth, police believe.
A 23-year-old youth, Afan, reportedly confessed to the police in Venjaramoodu, near Thiruvananthapuram, on Monday (February 24) that he had killed six persons, including his 13-year-old brother, his grandmother in her 80s, and a young woman said to be his lover.
Afan has been admitted to hospital after claiming he had consumed poison. While the police have confirmed the deaths of five people, his mother, who was also attacked by Afan, has been admitted to a private medical college hospital in a critical condition.
Also read: Kerala crime shocker: 23-year-old man kills five of his relatives
Family rivalry
From preliminary probe, police have reportedly found out that Afan’s uncle Latheef, Latheef’s wife Shahida, and his grandmother Salma Beevi looked down upon Afan’s family as they were facing financial hardships. Afan’s father runs a shop in Saudi Arabia but business has dulled in recent times.
According to media reports, the family, that lived in Perumala, about 3 km from Venjaramoodu, had accumulated considerable debt, which troubled Afan. The family was reportedly planning to sell off the house to settle the dues.
As his family faced the crisis, the relatives apparently jeered at them for their financial troubles, sparking intense hatred in him for them. Police believe he decided to take revenge before killing himself and those close to him as he felt it would be unfair to leave them behind after he died to face further hardships.
In his heightened emotional state, Afan allegedly decided to murder his brother, mother, and the girl named Farzana as well. The mass murder took place across three houses.
Also read: Kolkata triple murder: Debts, lavish lifestyle led to drastic step, say police
Police in disbelief
A local resident, who happened to be at the police station when Afan calmly walked in and claimed to have committed the murders, said the policemen were initially in disbelief as he confessed.
The man told journalists that the policemen went out to ask the autorickshaw driver whether the youth he had just transported had any mental issues. However, once they got convinced that Afan was quite sane, they got going with the case.
The man told reporters that the body of Afan’s brother Afsan was found lying in a pool of blood with a wad of 500-rupee notes scattered around him. Shemi, Afan’s mother, was also found lying in a pool of blood but she was alive and soon shifted to hospital.
Farzana’s body was reportedly found in a sitting position — on a chair on the first floor — with her face mutilated beyond recognition.