Koodathayi mass murder case rarest of rare, say ex-Kerala cops

It is very strange that police, relatives or locals did not suspect foul play behind the deaths that happened in a similar manner, says a former police officer.

Police exhuming bodies of the family members who died under mysterious circumstance, from their graves at Koodathayi. (Photo | EPS)

KOZHIKODE: Former police chiefs and mental health experts are of the view that the Koodathayi mass murder case falls under the ‘rarest of the rare’ category.

“We have never come across such a case in the history of Kerala. We have come across murder cases over property dispute or to hide illicit relationships or to elope with a lover. But a woman killing six people over the course of more than 13 years to get property and to live with a man of her choice, evading detection all this time makes it a case of rarest of rare nature,” said retired superintendent of police N Subash Babu.

READ HERE | Deaths of six members of Kerala family a case of murder most foul

“It is very strange that the police, relatives or locals did not suspect foul play behind the deaths that happened in a precisely similar manner and doubt the presence of the same woman when they died. The woman eliminated all the persons who stood in the way of her goals,” he said.

“Negligence and lapses on the part of the police are an important factor that needs review. It is very unusual that the police did not suspect foul play, especially after cyanide poisoning, was confirmed in the postmortem examination of Roy’s body. The case is a glaring example of irresponsible investigation. It should also be investigated if the accused received help from within the department to evade detection all these years,” he added. 

READ HERE | ‘Least chance of tracing cyanide in decomposed Koodathayi bodies’

‘Severe personality aberrations’
“It should be understood that the accused woman has severe personality aberrations. Usually, antisocial personality characteristics are more evident in men than women. People with antisocial personality go to any extent or do anything to achieve their wishes and goals. They can be manipulative. People with these characteristics show no guilt or remorse for their behaviour,” said senior psychiatrist P N Suresh Kumar.

“It is not necessary that these characteristics become apparent to others. But with support and nurture, these persons can commit violent crimes. They will always remain a threat to the people around them,” said the psychiatrist. “The intensity of the crime and the motive are not necessarily connected. People with antisocial personality can commit heinous crimes for silly reasons,” he said.