Venjaramoodu massacre: Crime scene details expose shocking brutality

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 25 (PTI) Most horrific scenes unfolded as police entered the crime scenes in three locations in and around Venjaramoodu in Thiruvananthapuram district, where a 23-year-old man allegedly killed five people — his brother, grandmother, paternal uncle, aunt, and a young woman said to be his lover, on Monday.

The body of Farsana, a postgraduate student at a college in Kollam and reportedly the girlfriend of Afan, the accused in the Venjaramoodu mass murder case, was found sitting on a chair, with a pool of blood on the floor beneath her head.

According to visuals from the crime scene, she had a massive injury on her forehead, reportedly caused by a heavy hammer blow, and she may have been killed by that single blow, without even having time to slump down from the chair.

He appeared to have struck her several more times with the hammer, as her face was disfigured.

A beautiful photograph of Afan can be seen in the background, placed on the table beside where Farsana's body was found, with several blood droplets splattered on it.

Police officials said what they witnessed was one of the most brutal assaults Kerala has seen in recent years.

Afan, who always had a very close bond with his younger brother Afsan (13), allegedly struck him multiple times on the head with a hammer, killing his beloved brother on the spot, police said.

Afan's paternal uncle Latheef was the most cruelly attacked.

According to the police, Afan allegedly struck Latheef on the head with a hammer more than 20 times, literally shattering his skull. Latheef's body was found on a chair in the drawing room.

Latheef's wife, Sajitha, who was in the kitchen preparing tea for Afan, was allegedly attacked from behind with multiple blows from a hammer. Her body was found lying near the kitchen, police said.

"It was difficult to identify the victims as they were all covered in blood. When we lifted Latheef, someone's fingers went inside his head through a huge hole at the back of his skull," a neighbour, recounting the horrifying scenes at the murder site, told PTI.

Afan's murderous streak displayed psychotic patterns as he scattered several Rs 500 notes around the body of his younger brother, Afsan, after hammering him to death.

Afan had taken Afsan home, telling him that he had brought Kuzhimanthi, an Arabian meat-rice dish, for him.

Their mother, Shemi (55), who was pulled to the floor and attacked with a hammer, is undergoing treatment at a medical college hospital.

Although the police have not officially revealed the sequence of events, sources within the force suspect that Afan began his killing spree with his paternal grandmother, Salma Beevi (88), at her house in Pangode near Venjaramoodu.

Police sources believe that Afan took a hammer with him when he went to Salma Beevi's house.

He killed her and then proceeded to the house of Latheef and Sajitha in Chullalam.

They suspect that after murdering Latheef and Sajitha, the accused took his brother Afsan home from school.

Police sources also believe that he had earlier picked up Farsana and dropped her at his home.

He then allegedly attacked his mother first, followed by his brother and his girlfriend.

Before heading to the police station, Afan left the LPG valve open, intending to cause an explosion if anyone entered the house at night, police said.

Locals who saw Afan between the murders told the police that he appeared unfazed and showed no signs of distress.

After committing all these murders, Afan calmly walked to the police station and informed officers that he had assaulted six people in three locations, adding that they would all be dead by now.

Investigating officials say that Afan was a drug abuser and have obtained evidence to support this.

However, the specific drug he used and whether he was under its influence during the massacres are yet to be confirmed. PTI