From beloved son 'Kuttan' to brutal killer: The Cadell case

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Cadell’s pet name was 'Kuttan'. He was the beloved son of his parents, born into a wealthy family with assets worth crores. The family owned a two-storey house in the city and vast estates in Tamil Nadu. Cadell and his sister were the heirs to all of it. Yet, he ended up wiping out his own family, including his sister Dr Caroline.

Dr. Jean Padma and Raja Thankam, Cadell’s parents, belonged to a highly educated and financially well-off family. Both had dedicated themselves to serving society through the positions they earned via their education. Dr. Jean Padma used to treat underprivileged patients without charging any fee. For surgeries and medicines that required large sums of money, she would often bear the expenses herself. After retiring as an RMO from the General Hospital, she went to Brunei for further studies and to continue her medical service. Later, she worked at a hospital in Pandalam.

She also conducted free medical camps and provided free treatment to poor patients. Inspired by her mother, the younger daughter, Caroline, also became a doctor. The family had purchased 25 acres of land in Pathukani in Amboori, Tamil Nadu. Prof. Raja Thankam's ancestral home was in Mekkamandapam, Tamil Nadu.

Dasamma escaped by sheer luck

Dasamma, who worked as a housemaid, narrowly escaped from Cadell's murderous frenzy. While the bodies of the victims were hidden upstairs after the massacre, Dasamma was still on the ground floor. After killing his parents and sister, Cadell spent the evening watching the news and other programs on TV. When questioned about his parents, sister, and relative, he informed Dasamma that the four of them were away on a trip to Kanyakumari and were expected to return only the next week.

After watching TV serials until 8 PM, Dasamma and another domestic worker went to sleep in a separate building within the compound. When she noticed a strange smell of petrol inside the house and asked about it, Cadell replied that he had burned some waste upstairs. The upper floor had three rooms, and the maids were not allowed to enter these rooms. For the next three days, Cadell was seen taking food and other supplies from the ground floor to his room. Had Dasamma tried to go upstairs or questioned him further, she too would likely have been killed.