Kerala mass murder: Neighbours, relatives in shock; say accused was a good person

Thiruvananthapuram: The 23-year-old man, who on Monday allegedly killed five people including his 13-year-old brother and seriously injured his mother, was a good-natured, mild-mannered and soft-spoken person according to neighbours and relatives.

None of the relatives or neighbours could believe that the accused, Affan, could commit the murders.

A woman who runs a tea shop near Affan's home told a TV channel on Tuesday that the accused loved his brother and used to take care of him.

"I cannot believe he did it. He was a good boy. There is not a single bad thing we can say about him. Saw his (accused) younger brother yesterday afternoon also. Did not know what had happened till the police arrived," she said.

Similar responses came from other neighbours and relatives who could not believe Affan carried out the killings.

While the accused claimed to have killed six persons, his mother survived the attack on her and is presently hospitalised.

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

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 Affan allegedly used a hammer to carry out the murders.

The other victims were Affan's grandmother in her 80s, a young woman said to be his lover, his paternal uncle and the latter's wife.

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, police said, but did not disclose the exact sequence in which he allegedly carried out the killings.

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