Unknown assailants murdered a radio jockey from Kerala early on Tuesday when he was at his studio with a friend. Rajesh alias “Rasikan” Rajesh was also a mimicry artist and a folk singer, The Times of India reported.

The district police told the daily that the murder occurred around 2 am at Metro Studio, a sound recording studio Rajesh owned in Madavoor village, under Pallickal Police Station limits.

Rajesh and his friend Kuttan were loading their equipment into the studio after returning from a stage performance, when unidentified individuals arrived in a car and attacked them with sharp weapons. Kilimanoor Police Station Circle Inspector SV Pradeep Kumar told Scroll.in that Rajesh received over 20 stab wounds.

Residents informed the police, after which the two people were taken to hospital. However, Rajesh died at a hospital at Parippally, while Kuttan is undergoing treatment at the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College Hospital.

Kumar, who is investigating the case, said the police had not yet made headway in their inquiry. Rajesh’s autopsy will be conducted at the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College Hospital.

Rajesh had worked with Red FM as a radio jockey, and then moved to Qatari Capital Doha to join the Kerala FM station before returning to India.