Who Is Sukumara Kurup, The Notorious Fugitive From Kerala Who Inspired The Movie 'Kurup'?

On Friday, the Malayalam movie 'Kurup' starring Dulquer Salmaan in the lead role was released on over 1,500 screens not just in Kerala, but across the world.

This was the first Malayalam film to be released in theaters in Kerala after the lockdown restrictions were lifted and movie halls were allowed to open earlier this month.

kurup poster

Kurup has been received a warm reception in Kerala and has been hailed for its carefully crafted storyline that portrays a real-life villain while sticking to the facts and not glorifying him.

That is because the name Sukumara Kurup is synonymous with crime in Kerala and it has been like that for nearly four decades.

Who is Sukumara Kurup?

Since 1984, Kurup has been one of the most wanted criminals in Kerala but was never caught and it is still unclear if he is still alive.

Kurup, a native of Alappuzha in Kerala is the prime accused in the murder of one Chacko, who was found dead in a car on January 21, 1984, with his body charred beyond recognition.

Sukumara Kurup

When the body was first discovered, it was suspected that it was Sukumara Kurup, a wealthy NRI man who was building a palatial house nearby. The main reason for the suspicion was because the car which was found burned in a field belonged to Kurup and the victim was wearing his dress.

But during the investigation, police began suspecting that the body may not be of Kurup and foul play could be involved.

The crime

As the investigation progressed, it became clear that the body in fact was not of Kurup, but someone else. Investigators concluded that the victim was intoxicated and murdered somewhere else and the body was burned inside the car in the field to hide the identity.

kurup

While Kurup went missing, his brother-in-law Bhaskara Pilla, driver Ponnappan, another accomplice named Shahu along with the wife and sister of Kurup were arrested by the police. The cops zeroed in on the accused due to the suspicious behaviour of Pilla who also had burn marks on his hand. Later they admitted to the murder but claimed they had no idea who their victim was.

Reason behind the gruesome murder

Kurup who was working in a private company in Anu Dhabi had a taken life insurance policy of Rs 8 lakh. He wanted to fake his own death to claim the insurance amount. For this, the accused was trying to get an unclaimed body, resembling his physical appearance to give the impression that Kurup died in a vehicle accident.

At the wrong place at the wrong time

On the night of January 24, 1984, the accused were traveling in their car, when a stranger requested them for a lift. The man, Chacko, a film representamen by profession missed the last bus and was trying to reach home at night. After they let Chacko inside the car, the accused realised that their co-passenger in fact had some resemblance to Kurup and decided to kill him.

Chackoq

The accused then forcibly fed Chacko liquor and strangulated him to death. The body was later set on fire along with the car to hide the identity of the victim.

While the accused could not identify their victim, police found him based on a missing complaint filed by Chacko's wife.

Aftermath of the murder

Both Bhaskara Pilla and Ponnappan were found guilty of murder and were sentenced to life imprisonment. Kurup's wife and sister were acquitted for the lack of evidence. The fourth accused, Shahu had turned approver in the case. As for the prime accused, Kurup was never found or convicted. Nearly four decades after he disappeared, Kurup still remains a mystery, while the two convicted men Pilla and Ponnappan are dead, leaving Shahu the only known person involved in the crime alive.

The Week

The under-construction house of Kurup was attached by the government and is now a dumping yard. The field where Chacko's body was found is still known after the unfortunate victim.

How did Kurup get away?

It is a question that the Kerala Police have been trying to solve ever since. And the answer defers on whom you ask. According to most investigators, there was a delay in realising that the charred body was not of Kurup, which gave him time to flee. Since then there were several claims of Kurup being sighted and even once being detained by police, who let him go after they failed to confirm the identity beyond doubt. However, none of these have been officially acknowledged.

Another factor, investigators say helped Kurup was the lack of his biometric data. Since Kurup had no previous criminal record, the police did not have his fingerprint data, which made immediate identification a challenge.

Is Kurup dead or alive?

Like everything around Kurup, this too is a mystery. According to the Kerala Police, they are still actively looking for him, meaning that they have ruled out the possibility that he is already dead. Even these days it is not uncommon for the police to get anonymous calls claiming that they have spotted someone with a resemblance to Kurup. Even just a few days ago cops were informed about a suspicious elderly man who came from Bhopal and was living in an old age home.

The family of the victim, including Chacko's son who was born four months after his father, was killed also believes that Kurup, who should be 75-year-old by now is still alive in some foreign country.

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