Kerala family may not be sole target: DGP

Thiruvananthapuram, October 6

Spy movies often feature cyanide as a perfect killer poison but in Kerala, a couple involved in serial killings actually used the deadly chemical to wipe out an entire family of six over a period of 14 years.

Potassium cyanide, a highly toxic colourless salt like substance, was allegedly used by Jolly Thomas and her two aides to eliminate the family in Kozhikode.

The planned killings, executed by Jolly (now 47), may not be limited to the elimination of only one family in Kozhikode, suspects Kerala DGP Lok Nath Behera. “It is too early to comment on the entire dynamics of the crime carried out by Jolly and her aides. Although it is a complex case, I do not rule out the possibility of more such killings executed by them,” Behera said.

“We are still following certain leads and gathering previous linkages of Jolly to ascertain her criminal profile. At this moment, the big picture emerging out of these gruesome murders is not much clear. I can only say that the police have done a great job to unravel the killings which could have gone unnoticed.” So far the Kozhikode Police have arrested Jolly, her friend M Mathew and a jewellery worker who arranged the potassium cyanide for the execution of the murders.

Investigation revealed that Jolly served cyanide laced with food to the victims. The first reported killing was executed in 2002 by Jolly wherein the victim was identified as her mother-in-law, Anamma Thomas. Six years later in 2008, Jolly allegedly killed her father-in-law Tom Thomas. In 2011, it was the turn of Jolly’s then husband Roy Thomas. The killing spree continued at regular intervals in the residence of the Thomas family. The next victim in queue was Roy Thomas’ maternal uncle Mathew who died under similar circumstances in 2014. Two years later, another close relative Sily, the wife of Shaju (Jolly’s paramour), and her one year old child died under similar circumstances.

Sources said that during her interrogation, Jolly confessed to the police that potassium cyanide, arranged by her friend Mathew, was used to kill the victims. — IANS