Kerala mass murder: 23-year-old kills 5, uses hammer to ‘shatter’ skull — chilling details reveal ‘psychotic pattern’

A 23-year-old youth in Kerala confessed to brutally killing five people — his brother, grandmother, paternal uncle, aunt, and a young woman said to be his lover. The killings were reported at three locations in and around Venjaramoodu in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala. Police shared chilling details of the crime on Monday.

Police said Afan, the accused, used a hammer to attack the five people and his mother. According to news agency PTI, Afan's murderous streak displayed psychotic patterns as he scattered several ₹500 notes around the body of his younger brother, Afsan, after hammering him to death.

Crime

Police didn't officially reveal the sequence of events. However, sources told news agency PTI that Afan might have begun his killing spree with his paternal grandmother, Salma Beevi (88), at her house in Pangode near Venjaramoodu.

Police sources believe that Afan took a hammer with him when he went to Salma Beevi's house. He killed her and then proceeded to the house of his paternal uncle Latheef and aunt Sajitha in Chullalam.

Police suspected that after murdering Latheef and Sajitha, the accused took his 13-year-old brother Afsan home from school. Afan reportedly took Afsan home, telling him that he had brought Kuzhimanthi, an Arabian meat-rice dish, for him.

Sources also believe that Afan had earlier picked up his girlfriend Farsana and dropped her at his home.

He then allegedly attacked his mother first, followed by his brother and his girlfriend, PTI reported citing sources.

Horror at crime scene

Most horrific scenes unfolded as police entered the crime scenes. Police officials said what they witnessed was one of the most brutal assaults Kerala has seen in recent years.

The body of Farsana, a postgraduate student at a college in Kollam and reportedly Afan's girlfriend, was found sitting on a chair, with a pool of blood on the floor beneath her head, PTI reported.

According to visuals from the crime scene, she had a massive injury on her forehead, reportedly caused by a heavy hammer blow. She may have been killed by that single blow, without even having time to slump down from the chair.

Afan allegedly struck Farsana several more times with the hammer, as her face was disfigured.

Afan, who always had a very close bond with his younger brother Afsan, allegedly struck him multiple times on the head with a hammer, killing his beloved brother on the spot, police was quoted as saying.

Afan's paternal uncle Latheef was the most cruelly attacked. Police said Afan allegedly struck Latheef on the head with a hammer more than 20 times, literally shattering his skull. Latheef's body was found on a chair in the drawing room.

A neighbour, recounting the horrifying scenes at the murder site, told PTI, "It was difficult to identify the victims as they were all covered in blood. When we lifted Latheef, someone's fingers went inside his head through a huge hole at the back of his skull."

Latheef's wife, Sajitha, who was in the kitchen preparing tea for Afan, was allegedly attacked from behind with multiple blows from a hammer. "Her body was found lying near the kitchen," police said.

Afan reportedly scattered several ₹500 notes around the body of his younger brother, Afsan, after hammering him to death.

Their mother, Shemi (55), who was pulled to the floor and attacked with a hammer, is undergoing treatment at a medical college hospital.

The incident came to light when Afan appeared at the Venjaramoodu police station in the evening and made the confession.

Confession

After committing all these murders, Afan calmly walked to the police station and informed officers that he had assaulted six people in three locations.

He reportedly said that they would all be dead by now.

Police said that before heading to the police station, Afan left the LPG valve open, intending to cause an explosion if anyone entered the house at night.

South Zone Inspector General S Shyamsundar said the accused consumed poison and was admitted along with his mother for medical treatment. The accused "is in a serious condition" as of now, police said.

"We are yet to come to any conclusions. The investigation is going on, and the forensics are inspecting...," the official added.

Afan is currently receiving treatment at MCH after allegedly attempting suicide by consuming rat poison mixed with Kuzhimanthi, South First reported.

"He remains in the 32nd pay ward under police surveillance, with his hands cuffed to the hospital bed rails after attempting to remove the cannula," the report added.

Afan, a 'drug abuser, borrowed money'

Investigating officials said that Afan was a drug abuser. They said they obtained evidence to support this claim. However, the specific drug he used and whether he was under its influence during the massacres are yet to be confirmed.

According to South First, neighbours and acquaintances revealed that Afan had borrowed money from multiple people, and financial troubles had been haunting his family.

(With inputs from PTI)