THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The police conducted the second stage of evidence collection in the Venjarammoodu mass murder case with the accused Afaan. On Tuesday morning, police took Afaan to the house of his paternal uncle Latheef in SN Puram. Afaan was brought from the Kilimanoor police station. A bomb squad was also deployed for evidence collection. The bomb squad was called to help recover a mobile phone that Afaan had discarded after committing the murders. Latheef's phone was recovered during the inspection.

Afaan had earlier told the police that he murdered his uncle Latheef after getting mentally distressed by the constant verbal assault by Latheef. Before striking Latheef on the head, Afaan reportedly told him that it was Latheef who had ruined his family. Latheef was sitting on the sofa when Afaan, seated across from him, took an iron rod from his bag and struck him on the head. Hearing the noise, Latheef's wife Sajitha Beevi came to the hall and then ran towards the kitchen area. Afaan chased her, struck her head and knocked her down.

During the incident, Latheef’s phone rang, and Afaan seized it. After the killings, he went outside and threw Latheef’s phone into a nearby pit. He informed the police about the exact location where he discarded the phone. Afaan also said that he had no personal animosity towards Sajitha Beevi and that he killed her as she had witnessed Latheef's murder.

Latheef had earlier advised Afaan and his mother to sell their house and land to pay off their debts, also pointing out that Afaan’s extravagant lifestyle was the root of their financial problems. Shemi had owed nearly Rs 80,000 to Latheef. Afaan told the police that Latheef often used to ask his mother to repay this money.