Palakkad: The police on Tuesday arrested Chenthamara, the prime accused in the brutal double murders of a man and his mother in Nenmara.

According to reports, the accused was arrested in the Pothundy area following a search operation launched based on information that he had been spotted in the vicinity.  

Chenthamara had been on the run since committing the murders. A comprehensive search operation was conducted by the police and local residents, which eventually led to his arrest. He was taken into custody just as the search efforts were about to be called off.  

A team led by Alathur DySP successfully arrested the accused and safely transported him to the Nenmara police station, ensuring his protection from the public.  

Police officials confirmed that Chenthamara was in critical condition at the time of his arrest. Due to his deteriorating health, he will be immediately transferred from the police station to a hospital for medical treatment.  

Previously, a massive manhunt was underway in the Nelliampathi hills to track down Chenthamara, the prime suspect in the brutal murders of a man and his mother in Nenmara. The search operation involved over a hundred police officers and local residents.

The case

On Monday, Chenthamara (58) attacked Nenmara natives Sudhakaran (50) and his mother Lakshmi (68). Sudhakaran died on the spot, while Lakshmi succumbed to her injuries en route to the hospital. Following the incident, he went into hiding. 

Chenthamara is believed to have killed Sudhakaran and Lakshmi due to long-held grudges. He was earlier accused in the murder of Sudhakaran's wife, Sajitha, in 2019.

He had blamed Sajitha for casting a spell on him, which he believed caused his personal and family troubles. Despite being released on bail, Chenthamara violated the conditions by returning to Pothundy, where he killed Sudhakaran and Lakshmi.

The police had requested that Chenthamara be prohibited from entering the Nenmara police station area, but the court only restricted him from entering the Nenmara Grama Panchayat. On December 29th, he returned home, violating the court's order. He had also threatened Sudhakaran’s family and some neighbours, and the police were informed, but the delay in reporting the bail violation has raised concerns.