Sukumara Kurup alive? Man resembling Kerala’s most-wanted fugitive reportedly traced in Brunei

New Delhi: Fresh reports have raised suspicion that Sukumara Kurup, one of Kerala Police's most notorious fugitives, may still be alive, with a man bearing a striking resemblance to him reportedly traced to Brunei.

According to the reports, Kurup is believed to be living in isolation in the Southeast Asian country under an assumed identity. He is said to have deliberately kept his distance from the Indian and Malayali communities in Brunei.

Reports also suggest that the fugitive has remained in contact with his wife and children in Kerala. Chat details allegedly show that he has enquired about his wife's health.

A photograph of a Malayali man resembling Kurup, reportedly taken in 2023, has also emerged. The man was allegedly traced by a cyber expert who began investigating the possibility out of curiosity. The findings have reportedly prompted central intelligence agencies to look into the matter.

The cyber expert is said to have gathered information by accessing the phones of Kurup's relatives and examining their communications. He reportedly travelled to the area where the suspected man was staying and photographed the residence.

With the help of Malayalis living in Brunei, the expert allegedly traced the elderly man to his residence and identified a hotel where he regularly ate. By following him from the hotel, the expert was reportedly able to establish where the man lived.

The suspected Kurup is believed to be staying in Simpang, near the Malaysia-Brunei border. Reports claim that he is involved in a construction-related business and is currently living in Brunei illegally.

Kurup's passport had expired, and although he is believed to have later obtained another passport using forged documents from Malaysia, that document too has reportedly expired.

However, the identity of the man in Brunei has not been confirmed. Establishing whether he is actually Sukumara Kurup would require scientific verification and documentation by the relevant central agencies.

The cyber expert reportedly used hundreds of AI-generated images depicting possible changes in Kurup's appearance over the years to identify the suspected man.

Sukumara Kurup, also known as Gopalakrishna Kurup, has been wanted since 1984 in connection with the murder of Chacko, who was allegedly killed as part of a plot to claim insurance money. Kurup fled Kerala following the crime and has remained absconding for more than four decades. Interpol and the Kerala Police have pursued leads about his whereabouts over the years.

Between 1984 and 1996, the Kerala Police conducted an extensive search for Kurup across India. Investigators received information that he had lived in several places, including Mumbai, Delhi, Bihar and Hoshangabad in Madhya Pradesh, using different names and disguises to evade arrest.

Police records indicate that in 1990, Kurup was reportedly living under the name Joshi near Mumbai's Santa Cruz airport. Doctors who examined him at the time reportedly found that he was suffering from severe heart disease and believed he was unlikely to survive for long while remaining in hiding.

Another lead came from Ratnamma, a native of Alappuzha who worked as a nurse at a hospital in Kolkata. She told police that she had seen Kurup there, but he reportedly fled before officers could reach the location.

The latest claim has emerged at a crucial time, as the Kerala Police were reportedly preparing to conclude their 42-year-old investigation on the assumption that Kurup was no longer alive.

For now, however, the identity of the man in Brunei remains unverified, and the latest claims have not established that he is the long-sought fugitive.