Questions raised by the Venjaramoodu massacre

Twenty-three-year-old Afaan, who mercilessly murdered five people, including his girlfriend, younger brother, and elderly grandmother, because his father's business collapsed and he was in debt due to his own wrong deeds or his inability to manage money, has been the talk of the town since Monday evening. Without any remorse, this man, who arrived on a motorcycle, killed close relatives living in three police station limits in Venjaramoodu and surrounding areas within a matter of hours, using a hammer and other deadly tools. Only someone who was hiding a thoroughly demonic nature inside him could kill ordinary people in such a brutal manner, and that too one after the other without a prick of conscience.

Afan also tried to kill his own mother, who was suffering from cancer, by hitting her head with a hammer. Thinking that his mission was accomplished, he locked the house, left the gas cylinder open, and went straight to the police station. The murderer who appeared before the police stated that he had killed six people and had taken poison and was completely remorseless. It took the police, who were stunned in disbelief, a while to understand the facts. Considering the nature of the mass murders that are currently taking place in many places in the country, we realise that Afaan's cruelty is not unprecedented. When someone loses one's mind, and add to that the influence of narcotic drugs, people become animals. Such brutal murders happen all over the world, and all of them are heinous crimes committed against humanity.

Constant protests are happening against the trampling and goring of humans by wild elephants in the forest borders of Wayanad. Compared to Afan, wild elephants and wildlife are much better. Their attack seems to be a natural reaction when humans accidentally come in front of them. Afan, on the other hand, decided to murder everyone after he did not get the money he asked his relatives for to repay his father's business losses. The accused confessed that there was a purpose behind each murder. However, the devilish crime he did to fulfil his purpose was such that it would terrify not only ordinary people but even criminals.

It is impossible to say when the minds of young people who live far away from their kith and kin become so hardened as to commit such heinous atrocities. It is the duty of the police and psychologists to uncover how Afan, who once had a normal reputation among the public, transformed into a grave sinner committing such heinous crimes. How many more in the society will transform into such criminals tomorrow? Various types of drugs that are easily available in the country are leading a large section of the young generation to total destruction. The crimes that are occurring regularly are the dire consequences of this.