PALAKKAD: Police have arrested Chenthamara, the accused in the Nenmara double murder case. Chenthamara was arrested from Pothundi Hill. The police arrested the accused after a day-long search. The accused was arrested while the police were returning from the spot after creating the impression that the search for the day has ended. The accused was arrested when he was ready to come out of the forest, thinking that everyone had left after stopping the search.

Although the locals were told that the search had ended, two policemen each were deployed at various locations. The police are providing information that the arrested accused has been taken to the Nenmara police station.

The arrested accused was taken to the Nenmara police station. The locals had gathered around the station. The accused remained at the station without any change of expression. After lathi-charge to disperse the angry locals, the police closed the station gate.

The accused Chenthamara brutally killed Sudhakaran (56) and his mother Lakshmi (78) of Boyan Colony, Pothundi, Nenmara. The murder took place at 9.15 am yesterday. The reason was personal enmity. Five years ago, Chenthamara had killed Sudhakaran's wife Sajitha by entering her house and slitting her throat. At that time, the police sniffer dog had reached the house of Chenthamara's relative Parameswaran. The accused, who had planned to kill Parameswaran's wife as well, had gone there and returned after not seeing her.

Chenthamara was released on bail three months ago. Locals and relatives say that Chenthamara has no mental problems. All the murders are very well planned. Locals say that Chenthamara had targeted another woman, a neighbour, after killing Sudhakaran and his mother Lakshmi yesterday and the neighbour was not killed because she was not home.

The police dog that caught the scent went to Chenthamara's ancestral house, 200 meters away. Following a tip that the accused might be hiding in a nearby hill, a drone search was conducted till 5 pm yesterday. After that, the police went to Thirippur in Tamil Nadu with the accused's brother, but could not catch him. Chenthamara was a lorry driver. His wife and daughter have been estranged from him for years due to family issues. An astrologer had told Chenthamara that the reason for the estrangement of his wife and daughter was a long-haired woman who lived next door. Chenthamara killed Sudhakaran's wife Sajitha in 2019, thinking that the woman the astrologer meant was her.