In a suspected case of murder, three of a family near Kottarakara, about 70 km from Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram, were found murdered with multiple injuries on Monday, November 8. The person alleged to have carried out the act is believed to have died by suicide, according to authorities. The victims have been identified as Rajendra, who is suspected to have died by suicide, and his wife Anitha, their son Adithya (24) and daughter Amritha (21). Rajendran’s family — Anitha, Aditya and Anitha — were reportedly found hacked to death at the residence. A police team soon arrived and cordoned off the house and a team of forensic experts also started their work, officials said.
Joseph Leon, the Station House Officer, Kottarakkara, told TNM that the man who suspected to be died of suicide was believed to be living with a mental illness. "He was under treatment four years ago. The motive behind the crime is not known yet,” he said, adding that more details will come to light only after investigation.
Rajendran, who was 55 years old, worked as an auto driver in Kottarakara. “There is no survivor from the crime scene. Hence, a detailed enquiry is needed," officer Joseph Leon added.
Mathrubhumi reported that the family’s bodies were discovered by a friend of Adithya, Rajendra’s son. Adithya, who was 24, reportedly worked as a salesman nearby, and his friends turned up at the house when he did not report for work. The New Indian Express reported that Kottarakkara police received information about the incident around noon on Friday, and they reached the site soon after. The murder weapon, a machete, was found at the house. The bodies of the deceased have been taken for postmortem.