Thiruvananthapuram: Cyber Cell SI Prasanth has provided new details in the Nanthancode massacre case. In his testimony to the Sixth Additional Sessions Court, which is hearing the case, Prasanth revealed that the sole accused, Caddell Jeansen Raja, practised the crime on dummies several times before carrying it out. "He created dummies of his parents and experimented on them a few days before the murders. There is also evidence on his laptop showing that Caddell learned how to slit throats using an axe by watching videos on social media," said Prasanth.

The horrific incident took place on April 5, 2017, when Caddell Jeansen Raja's parents, Prof Raja Thankam (60) and Dr Jean Padma (58), his sister Caroline (26), and his aunt Lalitha (70), were found brutally murdered at house number 117 in Baines Compound, near Cliff House. The examination of witnesses will continue tomorrow, with 21 witnesses being examined by the prosecution so far.

Initially, the youth, who had returned from Australia, told the police that the deaths occurred while he was experimenting with Astral Projection, a process in which the soul separates from the body and traverses the astral plane. He later revised his statement, admitting that he murdered the victims over a family dispute.

Doctors testified that Caddell's mental state was severely impaired, but the police maintain in the charge sheet that the murders were premeditated. He was admitted to a psychiatric care centre and detained while awaiting further hearings.