In Kerala, police have revealed details about a shocking case involving 23-year-old Afan, who murdered five family members, including his grandmother, uncle, aunt, 13-year-old brother, and girlfriend, before attempting suicide. Afan was in severe debt, totaling Rs 65 lakh, and believed his family would not help resolve the financial crisis. Initially intending for a joint suicide with his mother and brother, he ultimately decided to kill them instead when they resisted. He later surrendered to the police. Authorities will assess Afan’s mental health, as his behavior post-surrender has raised concerns about his state of mind.
In a shocking case of five murders committed by a 23-year-old in Kerala, police have revealed that the individual had accumulated a debt of Rs 65 lakh from 14 creditors and had initially intended to commit suicide together with his mother and brother. Authorities also disclosed that Afan planned to end his own life after the murders and killed his girlfriend under the belief that she would struggle to live without him.
Afan took the lives of his grandmother, paternal uncle and aunt, 13-year-old brother, and girlfriend across three residences in and around Venjaramoodu, a suburb of Thiruvananthapuram, on Monday. He attempted to murder his mother as well, but she survived. Following the gruesome acts, the 23-year-old voluntarily walked into the Venjaramoodu police station to surrender.
Afan’s father resided in Saudi Arabia, and officials indicated that the family faced harassment from creditors regarding the outstanding debt. They mentioned that Afan was distressed over the lack of financial assistance from his grandmother, paternal uncle, and aunt. Realizing they would not help pay off the debts, he tried to persuade his mother and 13-year-old brother to join him in a suicide pact.
When his mother refused, Afan resolved to kill her and his brother before taking his own life. After assaulting his mother, he believed she was dead and proceeded to his grandmother’s residence, where he murdered her and stole a gold necklace.
He then moved on to the home of his paternal uncle and aunt, killing them as well. Upon returning home, he confronted his 13-year-old brother and girlfriend, Farsana. Superintendent of Police KS Sudarshan stated that he killed his brother first and then Farsana because he thought “she would be alone without him.”
‘Mental State Will Be Examined’
Mr. Sudarshan mentioned that investigators would look into whether factors other than financial strain contributed to the killings, noting that Afan exhibited unusual behavior even after his surrender.
“Afan will be interrogated with the presence of mental health professionals, and his mental condition will be assessed. It appears he harbored no ill feelings towards Farsana and had not divulged his plan for mass suicide to her,” the officer stated.
Parents’ Statement
Afan’s mother, Shemina, initially informed the police that she had not been attacked by Afan and had simply fallen from her bed. “She was not fully aware of her son’s actions after he attacked her,” an official commented.
Her husband, Rahim, who returned from Saudi Arabia after the murders, stated to the police that he was unaware the family’s debts had escalated to Rs 65 lakh. He believed Afan had a debt of Rs 15 lakh, which included a bank loan and a loan from a relative. The father mentioned that Afan had pawned a gold necklace belonging to Farsana to settle that debt and he had sent Rs 60,000 to his son to retrieve the necklace.
(With inputs from SP Babu)