A shocking double murder has rocked Nenmara town in Kerala's Palakkad district, leaving the community in disbelief. Sudhakaran, 55, and his mother Lakshmi, 75, were brutally stabbed to death at their home on January 27 by their neighbour, Chenthamara who was out on bail. The accused was in jail for the murder of Sudhakaran's wife, Sajitha.
Chenthamara was arrested after a 36-hour manhunt, as reported by NDTV. The gruesome murders have sparked public outrage, leading to protests outside police station. The cops were compelled to use mild force in order to disperse the crowd.
Sudhakaran's daughters, Akhila and Athulya, have been left inconsolable after losing both their parents to gruesome killings. They said that they had repeatedly urged the police to remove Chenthamara from the neighborhood, but their pleas went unheeded.
In 2019, Chenthamara allegedly murdered Sajitha, Sudhakaran's first wife. According to cops, the accused suspected that his wife had left him due to witchcraft allegedly performed by Sudhakaran's family.
After spending years in prison, Chenthamara was granted bail and returned to the area. It was during this time that he reportedly developed a grudge against Sudhakaran, as he feared revenge for killing his wife. Sudhakaran's second wife and daughters survived the attack as they were not at home when Chenthamara struck again.
Police believe that Chenthamara had premeditated the murders. The accused admitted that he had specifically purchased a weapon to carry out the attack. The probe team also learnt that Chenthamara had planned to murder his estranged wife as well.
Chenthamara attempted to evade arrest by hiding in the forest area, which he was well aware of. After 36 hours, he was finally caught when the police, having laid a trap, announced they were calling off the search. The accused decided to return home to gather supplies on learning about the announcement but was arrested.
Police may take him to the crime scene soon for reconstruction of the double murder.
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