Thiruvananthapuram: Sreejith felt something odd about the call he received from Afan by around 3 pm on February 24. "There was haste in his voice. He wanted me to take his younger brother (Afsan) to a 'manthi' shop. This was unusual because Afsan was not allowed out of his house after he returned from school. His umma (Shemi, who is now battling for her life in a private hospital) is very protective. And this time, surprisingly, Afan said he would come with me alone. To my knowledge, the little boy has never travelled alone with anyone. So I remember telling myself that I should be extra careful," auto driver Sreejith said. 

But the driver had a problem. His vehicle was way behind in the queue at the Perumala autorickshaw stand, some 500 metres from Afan's house. "I told Afan that I cannot jump the queue. But he insisted that I come and pick Afsan from near his house," Sreejith said. He obliged.

Sreejith saw Afan with his younger brother, both seated on Afan's bike. Afan told me to just drop Afsan at the 'manthi' shop and not to worry about dropping him back. "He said he had some urgent business to do and that he would pick up Afsan on his way back," Sreejith said.

Later, Sreejith realised that the "urgent business" was picking up Farszana, his girlfriend who was later found bludgeoned to death, from her house. Farzana's house was on the other side of Venjarammoodu junction, on the way to Attingal.

Then, at about 6 pm Sreejith received yet another call from Afan. "He said his bike had a problem and wanted to go to the workshop. I asked whether Afsan had returned and he said he was home," Sreejith said.

The auto driver recalls that he found Afan bathed in sweat when he picked him up from near house. "It looked like he had gone for a run. He also seemed reluctant to talk. But he did not seem nervous or stressed out. Usually, he chatted a lot when he got into my auto. Yesterday, it was mostly in monosyllables. I also sensed a whiff of alcohol in his breath. It disturbed me as I had never known him to take drinks. But since he looked a bit preoccupied, I didn't ask," Sreejith said. 

When he slowed near the bike repair shop, Afan asked Sreejith to keep on driving. "He said he would first have a haircut and then think about his bike," Sreejith said. Afan asked that he be taken to a hair salon called Enrich. This was opposite the Venjarammoodu Police Station. When they neared the destination, Afan tapped Sreejith on his shoulder to hint that he would get down in front of the police station. "He got out, paid, and instead of crossing the road to Enrich, walked straight into the station. This was bewildering, but since I had a pre-ordered ride at 7 pm, I went back," Sreejith said.

Before Sreejith could reach Perumala, he got a call from the police station. The last call made from Afan's phone was to Sreejith. "The officer asked me whether I knew Afan. When I said yes, he asked me whether he had any mental issues. I said no and the officer told me that this chap is muttering something like murdering six people, including his mother and brother," Sreejith said.

By then, Sreejith was near Afan's house. "I was both amused and shocked. I told the officer that I was near his house and that I will go inside the house and check. The officer said he would hold the phone," Sreejith said.

When he reached the gate, two policemen were already there and the smell of leaked gas was heavy in the air. Afan had turned on the gas cylinder before he left the house. 

In Sreejith's presence, the policemen broke open the locks and got inside. 

Cops then broke the glass doors at the back to let out the leaked gas. No one was allowed inside until the Fire Force had arrived and secured the place. 

"I did not go inside. But a friend of mine who went inside said the forehead of the girl had a large hole that could fill our palm. The hammer crushed deep into her skull. Her right cheek was also bludgeoned. I don't think even her parents could recognise her. The boy was on his stomach and his head was smashed," Sreejith said.