THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Despite tall claims by the police crime is under control, the increase of crime in families, even in well-off ones, in the state worries law enforcers and the public alike. Two barbaric murders in Thiruvananthapuram - the Nandancode massacre where a youth killed all his family members and the more recent Peroorkada murder where a son killed his mother - have once again brought to the fore the gruesome link between flawed family relationships and crime.The major factors pushing people into crime are broken families, frequent fights between members (either between parents or parents fighting with children), and kids getting involved in drug abuse or alcoholism.
For instance, the reason for the Peroorkada murder was 22-year-old Akshay’s suspicion over his mother Deepa’s lifestyle and his alleged substance abuse. He strangled his mother to death and set her on fire in the backyard of his residence. Akshay’s father and sister are abroad and hence Akshay was feeling isolated. He also felt ignored by his mother. The latter’s alleged illicit phone conversations with strangers prompted him to do the crime. There were reports he also used drugs. The charge sheet against him will be submitted in a month and he is still under remand custody, the police said.
In the Nandancode murder, Cadell Jeansen Raja killed his father, mother, sister and aunt in his residence after being ignored by them for a long period, according to the police. Cadell was later arrested and the sessions court is all set to begin the trial proceedings against him.Experts said changing lifestyles and nuclear families have brought a sense of insecurity among people by and large. They said the crimes take place in families characterised by disruptions.
According to Thiruvananthapuram City Police Commissioner P Prakash, he has received several complaints from people in middle-class families saying they are being subjected to harassment from their own family members.“I am receiving several complaints on this front,” he said. “As far as the recent murders are concerned, there has been a huge dip in family values and respect. Though the criminal behaviour and motive of the two crimes are different, the basic psychic behaviour of the crime is the same. Shattered families, isolation, depression could be the reasons. Nowadays, everyone is living in the virtual world.”He also pointed out the substance and alcohol abuse have led the youths to commit crimes within the family.