The mass murder allegedly carried out by a 23-year-old man at Venjaramoodu in Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala was “brutal” and that there is “evidence of drug use” by the accused, the police said on Tuesday (February 25, 2025).

A senior police officer said that the victims, including the accused’s 13-year-old brother, had grievous injuries to their heads.

On being asked by reporters whether the accused used drugs, the officer replied, “There is evidence of drug use. The exact nature of the drug can be ascertained only after scientific examination.”

According to the police, the accused — Afan — claimed to have killed six persons, but his mother survived the attack on her and is presently hospitalised.

The other victims were Afan’s grandmother, a young woman said to be his lover, his paternal uncle and the latter’s wife.

The police officer said that attempts appeared to have been made to open the cupboards at the paternal uncle’s home, but it was yet to be ascertained if anything was missing.

The mass murder took place across three houses, reportedly separated by around 20-25 kilometers, in the Venjaramoodu area near the State capital.

He is suspected to have travelled from one house to the other on his motorbike to carry out the murders, the police said, but did not disclose the exact sequence in which he allegedly carried out the killings.

State Food and Civil Supplies Minister G R Anil, who visited one of the murder sites, said the killings appear to be “cruel and pre-meditated” and not carried out in the heat of the moment.

At the same time, he also said that there should be “no preconceived notions” about the incident.

Afan’s arrest is yet to be recorded by the police as he is presently hospitalised at the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital after he claimed to have consumed poison.

The police have not yet officially divulged details of the case including motive behind the murders and the weapon used for carrying out the killings.

However, some news reports claim that financial crisis in the family was the motive behind the killings and that Afan allegedly used a hammer to carry out the murders.

The incident came to light when Afan appeared at the Venjaramoodu police station on Monday evening and confessed to carrying out the murders.