Psychological and social factors played the decisive role in the back-to-back double murders that shook the city in the past week, a police officer said.
Phanindra Subramanyam and Vinu Kumar, the MD and CEO, respectively, of broadband company Aironics Media Pvt Ltd, were hacked to death in their office in Hebbal-Kempapura by a three-member gang on July 12. In Kodigehalli, a man killed his parents, locked the house and fled on July 18.
“Earlier, murders were committed for strong motives, but nowadays, petty reasons are driving the killings,” the officer said, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Shabareesh alias Joker Felix, an Instagram influencer believed to be involved in the Hebbal-Kempapura double murder, uploaded a news report to the social media site, just hours after the horrific crime. “Social media is driving people crazy,” the officer lamented.
According to the officer, such crimes take place when people are less educated and lack proper mentorship. “When there is no guidance, people tend to live in an illusional world where self-assumptions grow,” he said.
He explained: “In the case of Felix, he was very much aware of the consequences of his act. He was also aware of the cameras and people around, yet he committed the murders in broad daylight. That explains the illusional world he lives in and his understanding of society.”
According to the officer, Felix still lives in a mirage and has a different idea about himself. “I myself found it difficult to interact with him.”
In the instance of Sharath, it was a psychological and lifestyle problem that drove him to take the lives of his own parents, the officer said.
The officer said Sharath lived a reserved lifestyle and avoided social interactions. “Such personalities are very likely to be unaware of how to channelise or manage their anger, which leads them to impulsive behaviour and take nasty decisions.”
A police officer in charge of Sharath’s case said that without a scientific evaluation, it was impossible to conclude that the suspect was mentally unstable, as his neighbours claim.