It was a grim month of February 2025 for Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, as it saw the tragic scene of a mass murder that resulted in the loss of five lives. Afan, aged 23, allegedly killed his paternal uncle, grandmother, aunt, younger brother, and his girlfriend at three different spots. His mother was also assaulted but survived and was hospitalized with critical injuries.
THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS
Afan perpetrated his initial murder at his residence in Venjaramoodu, Thiruvananthapuram. He murdered his grandmother, Khadeeja, supposedly after she had denied him her gold ornaments. He attacked her brutally with a hammer.
He went to another residence where his paternal uncle Noushad and his aunt Fousiya resided. There, he killed both of them, reportedly because they did not help him financially.
Afan visited his girlfriend, Afra, at her residence in Kilimanoor. He murdered her, reportedly thinking that she would not survive without him.
He had gone back home and murdered his younger brother, Afsal. He also attacked his mother, Sameera, with him in the process, although she survived with critical injuries.
Afan later surrendered to the police and made his confession about his crimes. The police retrieved the murder weapon, a hammer, and started gathering evidence to reconstruct the horrific sequence of events.
INVESTIGATION FINDINGS
Crime Scene Investigation & Evidence Collection
A hammer was used across all the murders. The hammer was recovered by the police at one of the crime scenes.
The murders occurred at three locations—Afan's residence, his uncle's place, and his girlfriend's house. The crime scenes showed evidence of a struggle.
His mother, Sameera, was injured but survived and subsequently gave her statement to the police.
Motive: Financial Strain
Afan allegedly had debts amounting to ₹65 lakh (approximately $78,000). He was under great stress since he needed to repay ₹10,000 worth of interest every day.
He requested his grandmother for gold ornaments but was refused. His uncle and aunt refused to finance him, which reportedly made him mad.
Chronology of Events & Time Validation
There were CCTV footage, witness accounts, and mobile call records that validated that Afan moved from one crime scene to another just as he had explained in his confession. There was no outside interference—the killings were done by him alone.
Psychological Profile
There were signs of severe stress, rage, and financial need, according to investigators. He supposedly thought that his girlfriend could not survive without him, hence her killing.
Confession & Legal Proceedings
Afan surrendered voluntarily and admitted to all six murders.
He was arrested soon after his confession.
Verified that all victims had died from blunt force trauma caused by the hammer.
Afan has been charged with multiple counts of murder and attempted murder.
ROLE OF FORENSICS IN THIS CASE
Forensic evidence was instrumental in:
TRIALS PROGRESS AND CURRENT STATUS
Up to April 2, 2025, the trial of A R Afan, the defendant in the case of Thiruvananthapuram mass murder, has not yet begun. Afan was admitted to hospital after being detained in late February 2025 for health issues after reporting he had ingested poison. He was certified to be physically strong after eight days of treatment and was moved to Poojappura Central Jail on March 4, 2025.
Following that, on 6 March 2025, the Nedumangad Judicial First Class Magistrate Court remanded Afan to police custody for further interrogation. During this time, he reiterated his previous confessions to the murders. As of the current date, no official report exists to suggest that the trial has commenced or that a verdict has been delivered.
