Kollam, Kerala, January 9, 2025: After nearly two decades, Kerala Police successfully solved a chilling triple murder case from 2006, thanks to advancements in artificial intelligence. The case involved the brutal killing of a young mother, Ranjini, and her 17-day-old twin daughters in Anchal town, Kollam.
The murders occurred on February 2006, when Ranjini’s mother, Santamma, returned home from the local panchayat office to find her daughter and grandchildren with their throats slit. Initial investigations identified two suspects—Divil Kumar and Rajesh, army personnel stationed at Pathankot. However, both men fled, leaving the case cold for 19 years.
The 2006 Crime
Police investigations revealed that Ranjini and Divil, residents of the same village, were in a relationship. When Ranjini became pregnant, Divil distanced himself and relocated to Pathankot. After giving birth to twin daughters, Ranjini sought legal action, obtaining an order from the State Women’s Commission to compel Divil to undergo a DNA test for paternity.
Unwilling to face the consequences, Divil conspired with his former army colleague Rajesh to eliminate Ranjini. Rajesh, using the alias “Anil Kumar,” befriended Ranjini and gained her trust. On the day of the murder, he persuaded Ranjini’s mother to leave the house for official work. While she was away, the duo killed Ranjini and her newborns.
A two-wheeler’s registration number found at the crime scene led investigators to the Pathankot military base, but the accused had already escaped.
The Role of AI in Solving the Case
In 2023, Kerala Police’s Technical Intelligence Wing began leveraging AI to revisit unsolved cases. Using enhanced old photographs of the suspects, they generated age-progressed images to predict their current appearances. These images were compared against social media profiles, leading to a breakthrough.
A wedding photograph with a 90% resemblance to Rajesh surfaced, leading police to locate him in Puducherry. Further questioning revealed the location of Divil, who was also hiding under a new identity.
Arrest and Closure
On January 4, 2025, both suspects were arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Puducherry. Over the years, they had adopted new names—Vishnu and Praveen Kumar—and were working as interior designers.
This landmark case highlights the role of AI in modern policing and the determination of law enforcement to deliver justice, no matter how much time has passed.
