Thiruvananthapuram, 25 Feb

The mass murder allegedly carried out by a 23-year-old man at Venjaramoodu here was "brutal" and that there is "evidence of drug use" by the accused, police said on Tuesday.

A senior police officer said that the victims, including the accused's 13-year-old brother, had grievous injuries to their heads.

On being asked by reporters whether the accused used drugs, the officer replied, "There is evidence of drug use. The exact nature of the drug can be ascertained only after scientific examination."

According to the police, the accused -- Afan -- claimed to have killed six people, but his mother survived the attack on her and is presently hospitalised.

The other victims were Afan's grandmother, a young woman said to be his lover, his paternal uncle and the latter's wife.

The police officer said that attempts appeared to have been made to open the cupboards at the paternal uncle's home, but it was yet to be ascertained if anything was missing.

The mass murder took place across three houses, reportedly separated by around 20-25 kilometers, in the Venjaramoodu area near the state capital.

He is suspected to have travelled from one house to the other on his motorbike to carry out the murders, police said, but did not disclose the exact sequence in which he allegedly carried out the killings.

State Food and Civil Supplies Minister G R Anil, who visited one of the murder sites, said the killings appear to be "cruel and pre-meditated" and not carried out in the heat of the moment.

At the same time he also said that there should be "no preconceived notions" about the incident.

Meanwhile, neighbours and relatives claimed that Afan was a good natured, mild mannered and soft spoken person.

None of the relatives or neighbours could believe that the accused could commit the murders.

A woman who runs a tea-shop near Afan's home told a TV channel on Tuesday that the accused loved his brother and used to take care of him.

"I cannot believe he did it. He was a good boy. There is not a single bad thing we can say about him. Saw his (accused) younger brother yesterday afternoon also. Did not know what had happened till the police arrived," she said.

Similar responses came from other neighbours and relatives who could not believe Afan carried out the killings.

Afan's arrest is yet to be recorded by the police as he is presently hospitalised at the Thiruvananthapuram medical college after he claimed to have consumed poison.

Police have not yet officially divulged details of the case including motive behind the murders and the weapon used for carrying out the killings.

However, some news reports claim that financial crisis in the family was the motive behind the killings and that Afan allegedly used a hammer to carry out the murders.

The incident came to light when Afan appeared at the Venjaramoodu police station on Monday evening and confessed to carrying out the murders.