THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Spree that saw a 23-year-old man murder five people, including four of his family members has baffled not just the public but cops too. What began as a family dispute spiralled into a horror of unimaginable proportions. Afan, allegedly driven by deep-seated resentment, told police that he killed his relatives as they refused to support his father during the financial crisis.

His anger reportedly grew after his mother Shemi’s alleged suicide attempt just days ago. Weighed down by despair, he decided to murder his family members and also to end his life by consuming poison. What followed was sheer brutality. Police sources said the victims were bludgeoned beyond recognition, their faces mutilated in an act that spoke of more than just anger. “It was rage taken to terrifying extremes. It is suspected that the murders were clearly planned,” said police.

Drug abuse angle

Police found that the youth first killed his grandmother, sold her gold chain and used the money to buy the hammer which he then used to murder the others. But the mystery only deepens. Why was his girlfriend brought to the house and murdered? Police suspect family’s disapproval of their relationship may have played a role.

Relatives added another layer to the mystery, alleging that the accused abused drugs, an angle the police are examining. Cyber police have been roped in to trace his online activities, probing whether digital platforms or external influences shaped his deadly plan.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has assigned the IG and DIG to lead the probe. The postmortem, scheduled for Tuesday, is expected to throw more light on the killings.