Doctor, three family members found killed in house; Son missing

In a gruesome incident, four people including a retired government doctor, her husband, daughter and grandmother were found murdered in their house at Nanthankode, near Cliff House, the official residence of Chief Minister in Thiruvananthapuram on early morning on Sunday. Three dead bodies are in a badly burnt state.

The dead bodies were found when the police and fire men searched the house after the neighbors informed of fire and smoke coming out of the building. The deceased are identified as Dr. Jean Padma, a retired government doctor, her husband Prof. Raj Thankam, daughter Caroline and grandmother Lalitha. One dead body was found covered in a sack inside a bath room. Three dead bodies were badly burnt and other was cut into pieces. Police found an axe and knife from near the house.

After the neighbours informed that the doctor's son Jean Kethal was behaving strangely these days, the police have started searching for the young man. On Saturday night, Kethal told neighbours that he was going to Ooty. But they had noticed burn injuries on his legs. After the young man left the house, neighbours found smoke and fire coming out of the house and alerted the police.

Relatives also told police that Kethal had tried to mislead them the other day when they asked about the doctor. The doctor was not available over phone for three days, according to her brother. Her son told relatives that the family had gone to Kanyakumari for vacation.

Primary investigation shows that the murder must have taken place a few days back. Police suspect that the murderer was trying to destroy the evidence by setting the house on fire.

• four killed in Thiruvananthapuram
• Jean Padma
• Jean Kethal
• Crime