Sukumara Kurup

Sukumara Kurup (born as P. K. Gopalakrishna Kurup) was born to Malayali parents, Puthenveettil Shivarama Pillai and his wife, Kurup born near Cheriyanad, Travancore (present-day Alappuzha district, Kerala). After completing his studies, he joined the Indian Air Force as an airman, where he was referred to as Gopalkrishna Pillai.{{Cite web |last=FC |first=Team |date=2021-11-09 |title=Who Is Dulquer Salmaan’s ‘Kurup’ Based On? The Fugitive Who Staged His Own Death |url=https://www.filmcompanion.in/features/kurup-movie-dulquer-salmaan-kurup-based-on-the-fugitive-who-staged-his-own-death-pinneyum-moh-maya-money |access-date=2024-07-24 |website=www.filmcompanion.in |language=en}} Later, he left the IAF and moved to the Middle East, becoming an executive with a marine petroleum company in Abu Dhabi, where he is known as Sukumara Kurup.

Chacko was forcefully intoxicated, poisoned and strangled to death and later the body was burnt inside an Ambassador car at night near Tannimukkam Puncha in Mavelikara.{{Cite web|url=https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/offbeat/people-flock-to-chacko-padam-as-kurup-makes-headlines-chacko-murder-case-kerala-crome-wanted-criminal-kurup-1.6177464|title=People flock to 'Chacko padam' as 'Kurup' makes headlines}} Sukumara Kurup allegedly committed the crime to fake his own death and claim an insurance amount of {{INR|800,000}}, by killing Chacko, who bore a striking resemblance to him. It is assumed that Kurup fled the country after the incident, while two of his three accomplices, driver Ponnappan and brother-in-law Bhaskara Pillai, were sentenced to a life-term imprisonment.{{citation| url=https://www.deccanherald.com/content/112678/fugitive-fails-turn-up-sons.html| title=Fugitive fails to turn up at son's wedding| date=Nov 13, 2010| author=R Gopakumar| access-date=May 27, 2012}} His other accomplice, Chinnakkal Shahu, was arrested, but was later made an approver and released. He is the only living eye-witness of the murder of Chacko.{{Cite web|title=If not Chacko, Sukumara Kurup would have killed me, recollects his accomplice|url=https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/offbeat/if-not-chacko-sukumara-kurup-would-have-killed-me-recollects-his-accomplice-chacko-murder-case-sukumara-kurup-1.6171177|access-date=2021-11-27|website=Mathrubhumi|language=en}} According to the police, Sukumara Kurup is still on the list of absconding accused since January 1984.{{Cite web|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/140119/news-current-affairs/article/30-years-%E2%80%98chacko-murder%E2%80%99-still-alive-files|title=30 years on, 'Chacko murder' still alive in files|last=bose|first=abhish k|date=2014-01-19|website=Deccan Chronicle|language=en|access-date=2019-08-29}}

The Chacko murder case is one of the longest-standing cases in the judicial history of Kerala. In 2018, Chacko's wife, Santhamma, told Bhaskaran that she forgives him and the others (including Kurup) when they met near the St Thomas Malankara Syrian Catholic Church at Chengannur.{{cite web|url=https://www.onmanorama.com/kerala/top-news/2018/07/01/chacko-wife-forgives-sukumara-kurup-murdered-husband.html|title='Don't know if Sukumara Kurup is alive or dead, but we forgive them'|publisher=Onmanorama}}

The Chacko murder case is one case that caught the media's attention during the mid-2000s, when there were reports on Sukumara Kurup lookalikes from various parts of India. Since Kurup's remains still remain untraced, it's unclear as to whether he's dead or alive. Victims of his crime believe he could be alive and well in a foreign country based on what the investigating officer wrote while closing the case after 12 years of search (1984 to 1996): Kurup had fled from the country with the 72 hours head start he got and with possible help from political allies, cause after the murder came to light he was able to narrowly escape multiple times from the police.{{cite press release |url=http://www.hindu.com/2006/05/06/stories/2006050616080100.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070320113607/http://www.hindu.com/2006/05/06/stories/2006050616080100.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 20, 2007 |title=Hunt for Sukumara Kurup hots up |access-date=September 26, 2010 |work=The Hindu |date=May 6, 2006 }}{{Cite web|url=https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/police-had-nabbed-kurup-once-but-was-released-in-4-hrs-as-they-failed-to-identify-him-former-dgp-sukumara-kurup-chacko-murder-case-alexander-jacob-1.6177337|title = Police had nabbed Kurup once but was released in 4 HRS as they failed to identify him: Former DGP}}

However, it is believed by police that Kurup was found multiple times in India under the alias Joshi, and may have already died due to severe cardiac issues. Doctors that had attended him made the prognosis in 1990 that his condition was so bad that after fleeing, he could not have survived for long.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theweek.in/theweek/specials/2021/04/23/sukumara-kurup-how-a-single-man-greed-destroyed-many-families.html|title=Sukumara Kurup: How a single man's greed destroyed many families|website=The Week }}

In 1984, the Malayalam film NH 47, directed by Baby, drew inspiration from the Chacko murder case. Sukumaran portrayed the victim under the name Rahim, while T. G. Ravi took on the role of the killer.{{cite web|url=http://www.malayalachalachithram.com/movie.php?i=1602|title=NH 47|access-date=2015-11-01|publisher=www.malayalachalachithram.com}}{{cite web|url=http://malayalasangeetham.info/m.php?2154 |title=NH 47 |access-date=2015-11-01 |publisher=malayalasangeetham.info |language=Malayalam}}

In 2016, director Adoor Gopalakrishnan presented another fictional narrative, Pinneyum featuring Dileep and Kavya Madhavan, loosely based on the original incident.{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/why-adoor-gopalakrishnans-pinneyum-is-just-half-feminism/articleshow/53891007.cms?from=mdr|title=Why Adoor Gopalakrishnan's 'Pinneyum' is just half feminism|last=Harikrishnan|first=Charmy|date=2016-08-28|work=The Economic Times|access-date=2019-08-31}}

In 2021, Srinath Rajendran directed a crime thriller biopic, Kurup, revolving around Sukumara Kurup. This fictional film stars Dulquer Salmaan as Sudhakara Kurup, Tovino Thomas as the victim (Charlie), and is told from the perspective of investigative officer S.P. Krishnadas I.P.S, a character inspired by the real investigator S.P. Haridas I.P.S played by Indrajith Sukumaran.{{Cite web|url=https://malayalam.news18.com/news/film/movies-dulquer-salman-features-the-film-kurup-pooja-held-ar-154497.html|title=സുകുമാര 'കുറുപ്പ്' വീണ്ടും; ദുൽഖർ ചിത്രത്തിന് തുടക്കമായി|date=2019-09-01|website=News18 Malayalam|access-date=2019-09-19}}{{Cite web|date=2017-06-18|title=Catch me if you can: Sukumara Kurup, Kerala's most wanted murderer on the run for over 30 years|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/catch-me-if-you-can-sukumara-kurup-kerala-s-most-wanted-murderer-run-over-30-years-63841|access-date=2021-03-21|website=The News Minute|language=en}}

• List of fugitives from justice who disappeared

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Category:Crime in Kerala

Category:Fugitives wanted by India

Category:20th-century Indian criminals

Category:Possibly living people

Category:1946 births

Category:People who faked their own death