KOCHI: A mother strangulating her teenage son, chopping off his limbs and incinerating the body. A youth killing his parents, sibling and relative in cold blood to experiment with the occult... With the state witnessing a series of brutal murders where blood relatives are mercilessly killed by their own loved ones, one is forced to think whether Kerala, which boasts a slew of developmental indices, is descending into the nauseating abyss of moral decadence. What makes people so ruthless and savage? Express examines.
The most unkindest cut of all,” thus spake the Bard of Avon about the brutal murder of Julius Caesar at the hands of his trusted friend Brutus.
Jan 15, 2018: A mother in Kollam allegedly strangled her 14-year-old son using her shawl, chopped off his limbs, dragged the body to the backyard of the property and set it ablaze. The incident shook the conscience of the society. How can a mother, who carried the child in her womb for nine months, who breast fed him, be so brutal? And the reason she gave for the ghastly murder: The boy was poking fun at her! December 25, 2017: A 22-year-old engineering student strangled his mother to death and burnt the body. After setting the body ablaze, he allegedly cooked an omelette, watched TV and had ice-cream with his friend at an eatery.
April, 2017: A youth murdered his parents, sister and a distant relative, allegedly to experiment with Astral projection, which involves separation of the soul from the body.
What makes people so cruel to murder blood relatives in cold blood and inflict atrocities on them? How do people turn into dangerous predators?
The state has been witnessing a series of brutal murders where blood relatives are found murdered by their beloved ones. Are we passing through an age of moral decadence? According to social workers, Kerala has turned into a society of contradictions. Though we claim we are modest, intelligent, broad minded, liberal and secular, negativism has been creeping into the society. The most alarming issue has been the loss of moral values. Parents are responsible for imparting lessons of compassion, respect and societal values among the children. However, the new generation has failed to connect with our cultural ethos. They fail to understand family values and have no time for their elders.
This lack of social values is landing more and more elders in old age homes. The moral breakdown and spurt in violent crimes are interconnected, say social workers. “In today’s world, people are attaching more importance to wealth than kinship. Relationships become superfluous and there is less attachment among family members compared to olden times. This has led to family break-ups and conflicts, which trigger violence,” said Dr A V Druhin, psychiatrist at Pariyaram Medical College in Kannur.
“There are many reasons for violence within families. The person who attacks the family members may be suffering from mental disorders like paranoid schizophrenia, where the patients will have auditory hallucinations. Such a person will always feel insecure as he will have a feeling everyone else is out to cause him harm,” he said. People who are possessive about their life-partners or children may also commit murder due to suspicion. They will try to relate incidents and establish their doubts. People with personality disorders may be cold-hearted and will resort to violence, said Druhin.
He said substance abuse has, of late, been identified as a potential factor that can trigger violence. The use of drugs also makes people ruthless. Dr James Vadakkumchery, a criminologist, who worked with the state police for over three decades, said the incidents where the mother or father kills a grown-up child can be attributed to ‘selfism’. The accused may have decided to kill the person due to a strong feeling that he/she is an obstacle in achieving his goal.
This cannot be attributed to mental disorder, he said. “In the Kollam incident, the mother was completely aware of the act. The fact she tried to destroy evidence substantiates the fact she was conscious of the crime. Usually, it will be difficult for a mother to kill her son or daughter as the maternal feelings will be strong. She had a strong motive and the boy was a potential threat in achieving the goal. So, she decided to annihilate him,” said Vadakkumcherry.
Kerala Women’s Commission chairperson M C Josephine said Kerala society is getting increasingly criminalised. “The social atmosphere of the state is changing rapidly. Increasing lust, unsatisfied marriage life and financial interests may be the reason prompting women to kill their kids and elope with lovers,” she said.“You cannot ignore the loss of moral values in society and leave it to the police and social workers to correct them. Religious organisations have to inculcate moral values among the society,” said Josephine.
Psychologist and counsellor Kala Shibu said, “Around 80 per cent of women face psychological problems and stress during menopausal transition. Due to social stigma, people refuse to undergo treatment. Leaving the stress-related issues and mood swings untreated can worsen the situation.” Use of drugs among youth also fuels crime, she said.