Who is Sukumara Kurup? Here is why Keralam’s most infamous fugitive is back in the news after four decades
Keralam Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has directed the Crime Branch to verify reports about fugitive Sukumara Kurup being alive. There are rumors he lives under a false identity in a foreign country, but Chennithala emphasized the need for factual investigation over speculation.
Keralam's most infamous fugitive, Sukumara Kurup, is back in the news after four decades following rumors of his alleged survival. Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has instructed the state Crime Branch to verify media reports regarding Kurup's current status. The Kerala Police are now reaching out to Interpol to uncover the truth behind the rumors.
Kurup, whose real name is Gopalakrishna Kurup, is believed to be living in a foreign country under a false identity. Born in Alappuzha, Kurup was a former Indian Air Force airman who became Kerala's most wanted fugitive after murdering a stranger and burning his body inside his car to claim an insurance payout. The murder took place in January 1984, and while the initial investigation ruled it as an accident, subsequent investigations revealed the truth.
Kurup has not been seen since his disappearance in 1984, but people have claimed to have seen him in various places over the years. In 2021, a Malayalam film titled "Kurup" brought his real-life crime story back to the forefront of public attention. Recently, Ali Akbar, a former Crime Branch official, claimed that Kurup was living in Brunei under the false identity of John Menon.
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