Nenmara double murder: Accused Chenthamara remains at large as police launch massive search

An individual, Chenthamara, who has allegedly committed gruesome double murder in Nenmara in Kerala's Palakkad, is yet to be located. He hacked a mother and son, who were his neighbours, to death. The accused, who has a history of violence, remains at large, and a massive manhunt has been launched to apprehend him.

The police have formed four teams of 7 members each, with the help of locals, to apprehend Chenthamara. The search has been expanded to the foothills of Pothundi and Nelliyampathy, where the suspect was reportedly hiding. Divers have also been deployed to search water bodies, as police suspect that Chenthamara may have consumed poison and jumped into the water.

According to police, Chenthamara (58) had been harbouring a grudge against the victims' family for years. He believed that they were responsible for his family problems, including his wife and children leaving him. This superstition, fueled by an astrologer's claim that a "long-haired woman" was the cause of his family problems, led him to murder Sajitha, the wife of Sudhakaran, in 2019.

Chenthamara was arrested and jailed for the murder, but was released on bail while awaiting trial. However, he violated his bail conditions and was living in his own house when he committed the double murder.

On Monday, Chenthamara attacked Sudhakaran (50) and his mother Lakshmi (68) with a sharp knife, killing them both. Lakshmi was attacked when she tried to prevent Chenthamara from attacking her son. While Sudhakaran died on the spot, Lakshmi passed away while being taken to the hospital.

Nemmara MLA K Babu revealed that Chenthamara had longstanding disputes with members of the local community. "Sudhakaran and Lakshmi did not have any ill feelings towards him. However, he believed otherwise and created scenarios in his mind, thinking that these people were conspiring against him," Babu said.

In a related development, it has been reported that Chenthamara had suspected and threatened two other women in the neighborhood, including a woman named Pushpa, who said she was afraid of Chenthamara and wouldn't even use the outdoor toilet. She believed that she was on his list of people to kill and lived in constant fear.