A man from Kerala has been arrested for suspected murder of his parents, sister and aunt in their house in Thiruvananthapuram, police said.
Cadell Jeansen Raja, 30, was arrested on Monday night, police said, adding that he admitted to committing the heinous crime during the interrogation . However, he has not revealed the motive behind the murders, according to Manorama News.
Preliminary findings suggested that the murders were well-planned and meticulously executed.
The accused told the police that he committed the crime all alone. The police suspect that he was involved in satanic worship.
The bodies of retired professor Raj Thankam, his wife Jean Padma—a retired medical superintendent of the general hospital in Thiruvananthapuram—their daughter Carol, and aunt Lalitha were found early on Sunday.
While three bodies were found in a charred condition, another mutilated body was found wrapped in a bag in their home, located a stone's throw away from the residences of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and eight of his cabinet colleagues.
The police also recovered a half-burnt dummy made of clothes, iron rods and plastic from the house, presumed to have been planted by the suspect with the intention of making it appear as the whole family was killed in a fire accident.
Police said the neighbours on late Saturday night saw smoke coming from the house and the fire brigade was alerted. It was only after the fire fighters came and doused the fire that they discovered the bodies. Police also said they had received information that someone was seen running away from the house on Saturday night and they believe that it was Jaison.
A relative of the family told media that Jaison had informed them that his parents have all gone for a tour and would not be back for a week.
(with inputs from IANS, Onmanorama)
