Kerala horror: 23-year-old kills six, including girlfriend and brother; surrenders to police

Dubai: A 23-year-old man has surrendered to the police in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala’s capital, claiming responsibility for the brutal killings of six people, including five family members and his female friend, according to media reports.

The suspect, identified as Afan from Perumala, is currently in custody.

In his statement to the police, Afan admitted to brutally hacking his mother, brother, uncle, aunt, grandmother and girlfriend to death at three separate residences.

During the investigation, authorities discovered the victims lying in pools of blood across multiple locations. Except for Afan's mother, all victims had died from their injuries before police arrived.

Afan's 14-year-old brother and his girlfriend were among those found dead.

Afan reportedly executed the killings within two hours on Monday evening:

Police are currently interrogating Afan and verifying his claims. Officials stated that some victims appeared to have suffered fatal head injuries.

According to Manorama News, Afan consumed poison before surrendering at the police station. His health deteriorated during interrogation, prompting the police to rush him to Government Medical College Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram.

Meanwhile, his mother is undergoing treatment at Gokulam Medical College Hospital, where she remains in critical condition, according to the report.

Afan, who had been living abroad with his father, recently returned to Kerala on a visiting visa. His mother was receiving cancer treatment, while his younger brother was a ninth-grade student in Venjarammoodu.

According to police, Afan’s father, who ran a spare parts shop abroad, suffered severe financial losses and borrowed money from several people.

The mounting debts reportedly caused trouble with creditors, which may have contributed to the tragic events.

Possible motives under investigation

While Afan has claimed responsibility, stating he felt there was no way out, the police are investigating other potential motives.

Reports suggest that Afan approached his grandmother to borrow her gold ornaments. In his statement to the police, he claimed he committed the mass murder after his relatives refused to support him financially during his time of need.

Local reaction

CPI-M legislator D.K. Murali, whose constituency includes the area of the murders, expressed disbelief. "This is unbelievable. The entire town of Venjaramoodu is in shock. The five murders occurred across three houses, spanning two different police jurisdictions. I don’t understand what’s happening," said Murali.

A local who accompanied the police team recalled, “We realised something was wrong when the police arrived and began breaking the lock on the gate. After forcing open the door, they discovered three dead bodies. His mother was unconscious and was quickly rushed to the Medical College hospital.”