THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Afaan (23), who brutally murdered five in Venjaramooddu, had consumed poison eight years ago. He had tried to end his life by consuming rat poison after his parents failed to get him a mobile phone. He was in the hospital then. The accused consumed rat poison after committing the mass killings yesterday and then surrendered at the police station.

The murders were committed between 1 pm and 6 pm yesterday. He murdered his brother, girlfriend, paternal grandmother, paternal uncle and wife. His mother is in a critical condition after he tried to murder her. He first murdered his paternal grandmother Salma Beevi, then his paternal uncle and then his wife. He returned home and killed his brother and his girlfriend.

Afaan first attacked his mother Shemi. Thinking that Shemi was dead, he locked her in a room and then went to kill his paternal grandmother. Soon after the mass killing, Afaan consumed rat poison and is now undergoing treatment at the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital. The police are trying to find out the reason for the murder. The murder was committed using a big hammer. There are deep wounds on the heads of the bodies.