KOLLAM: In a gruesome incident, a man with a history of mental health problems hacked his wife and two children to death before killing himself in Kollam on Monday. The four family members were found dead in their house at Neeleswaram in Kottarakkara on Monday morning.
The deceased have been identified as Rajendran, 55, a native of Neeleswaram, and his wife Anita, 50, children Aditya Raj, 24, and Amrita, 21.
Rajendran was found hanging and his wife and two children were found hacked to death.
CK Vidyadhiraj, sub-inspector of police, Kottarakkara told The New Indian Express that Rajendran, who was an autorickshaw driver, has a history of mental health problems. He was seen "disturbed" for the past few days. The passengers who travelled in his auto on Sunday told the police that he didn't take them to their exact destination.
However, till 9.30 pm on Sunday, Aditya Raj's friends had been to the house and there were no problems. Aditya Raj was working in a private firm while Amrita was doing her degree course in a local college.
Police suspect that late in the night while his wife and children were asleep, Rajendran used a machete to hack his wife and children to death. The daughter's throat was slit. Anita was found dead on the floor apparently having fallen down during the attack. Similarly, Aditya Raj was also found dead on the floor. Following this Rajendran hanged himself.
It was around 11.30 am when Aditya Raj's friends came in search of him that they found the door closed and subsequently the gruesome incident came to light.
The bodies have been sent for postmortem. Kottarakkara police have registered a case.