The sentencing in the shocking Nandankode family massacre case is scheduled to be delivered today by a Thiruvananthapuram court. The only accused in the case, Kedel Jinson Raj, awaits his punishment for the brutal killing of five members of his own family. Originally, the verdict was set for May 8 but was postponed to today’s date.
The crime, which stunned the state of Kerala, occurred over two days in April 2017 in the prominent Nandankode area of Thiruvananthapuram. Kedel murdered his parents Jean Padma and Raja Thankam, his sister Karolyn, and a relative named Lalitha. What made the case even more chilling was Kedel’s bizarre motive—he claimed the murders were part of an attempt to achieve “astral projection,” a supposed out-of-body experience, a confession that left many across Kerala in disbelief.
After committing the murders, Kedel fled to Chennai but returned to Thiruvananthapuram shortly afterward, where he was arrested by police. During the trial, the defense argued that Kedel was suffering from mental health issues at the time of the killings. Currently, he remains in custody at Poojappura Central Jail.
The case, known for its psychological and spiritual undertones, has garnered widespread media attention and public interest. With the court now preparing to announce its judgment, all eyes are on the outcome of one of Kerala’s most horrifying family murder cases in recent memory.
