Who Is Sukumara Kurup? Kerala’s Most Wanted Fugitive Is Back In Focus

Nearly 43 years after the disappearance of Sukumara Kurup, fresh reports claiming that the fugitive is alive and living abroad have prompted the Kerala government to reopen the question of his whereabouts.

Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala on Friday said he had directed the state Crime Branch to verify the reports and establish whether the claims were genuine. He also said the police would approach Interpol if required.

“I have instructed ADGP Crime Branch Venkatesh to investigate. The Kerala Police needs to contact Interpol and find out the actual truth of the matter. Right now, what we have are just rumours. These are not verified facts,” Chennithala said.

Who Is Sukumara Kurup?

Sukumara Kurup, whose real name is Gopalakrishna Kurup, is wanted in connection with the 1984 murder of Chacko in Mavelikara, Kerala.

A former Indian Air Force airman from Alappuzha, Kurup later moved to the Middle East and worked as an executive with a marine petroleum company in Abu Dhabi. He had reportedly taken a life insurance policy worth ₹8 lakh.

According to the investigation into the case, Kurup allegedly planned to fake his own death so that his family could claim the insurance money.

On January 21, 1984, Kurup and his alleged accomplices, including his brother-in-law and driver, reportedly encountered Chacko, a film representative who resembled Kurup. Chacko was allegedly taken in a car, killed and his body was later burned along with the vehicle in an attempt to make the death appear accidental.

The case was initially treated as an accident, but subsequent investigation uncovered the alleged murder plot. The other accused were arrested and convicted, while Kurup disappeared and has remained absconding.

What Sparked The Latest Reports?

Kurup has periodically returned to public attention because of claims that he had been spotted in different locations.

The latest reports emerged after Ali Akbar, a former Crime Branch officer who investigated the case in 2017, reportedly told Malayalam media that Kurup was living in Brunei under the name John Menon and claiming to be a Malaysian citizen of Indian origin.

A Malayalam news channel subsequently published what it claimed was a recent photograph of Kurup and his alleged residence in Brunei.

However, these claims have not been independently established. Chennithala said the information currently available to authorities remains unverified.

What Is The Government Doing?

The case remains classified as a Long Pending (LP) case with the Crime Branch.

Chennithala said investigators would examine the latest information and contact international agencies to establish whether Kurup is alive and, if so, where he is living.

“The Crime Branch will gather the details and inform as soon as they are received,” he said.

The minister also rejected a claim by a retired police officer that he had previously submitted a report to authorities saying Kurup was alive and in regular contact with relatives in Kerala.

Chennithala noted that the case dates back to the period when Vayalar Ravi was Kerala's Home Minister.

“It has been around 40 years now. What is there to suppress? In any case, let the investigation proceed, and the truth come out. We don’t know yet whether this is true or false. In any case, the government has initiated the necessary actions,” he said.

The disappearance of Kurup after the alleged murder has made the case one of Kerala’s most enduring criminal mysteries. His story was also adapted into the 2021 Malayalam film Kurup, starring Dulquer Salmaan.