KOCHI: Refuting the claims that the accused in the Chendamangalam triple murder case is mentally unstable, the police investigation has revealed that the 28-year-old man who killed his neighbours was fully conscious of the crime he was committing.

Terming the crime “intentional”, the police said the accused, Rithu Jayan, was not in an intoxicated state either.

On Thursday evening, Rithu bludgeoned his neighbours Venu, 65, his wife Usha, 62, and their daughter Vinisha, 32, of Kizhakkumpuram, Chendamangalam, to death using an iron rod. Vinisha’s husband Jithin suffered grave injuries in the attack.

“Our initial probe revealed that the accused reached Venu’s house with the intention of killing Jithin. He was holding an iron rod and also carried two kitchen knives in his pocket. He confessed to the crime during the interrogation. There were altercations between the two families on several occasions. He was also agitated about Venu and family filing a police complaint against him,” said a police officer.

On Friday, police took Rithu for medical examination. “The results revealed that he was not intoxicated while committing the murders. Whether the accused is mentally unstable will be checked during investigation. However, as of now, there is no such indication. He is cooperating with the investigation,” said Jayakrishnan S, DySP Munambam, who is investigating the case.

Following the triple murder, residents had claimed that Rithu had earlier escaped severe police action citing mental instability.