Key accused held in Nenmara double murder case: Cops

Sudhakaran’s daughters, family members and locals alleged that the local Nenmara police failed to act on the complaints of the family about facing threats from Chenthamara

A 57-year-old man was on Tuesday arrested for allegedly killing a 68-year-old woman and her son in Palakkad district, police said, adding that the station house officer has been suspended for .

Chenthamara, who was out on bail in a 2019 murder case, was accused of killing Lakshmi (68) and her son Sudhakaran (50) out of personal grudge at the latter’s home in Pothundi near Nenmara on Monday (HT photo)

Police said that Chenthamara, who was out on bail in a 2019 murder case, was accused of killing Lakshmi (68) and her son Sudhakaran (50) out of personal grudge at the latter’s home in Pothundi near Nenmara on Monday. He was previously arrested for the murder of Sudhakaran’s wife Sajitha and was out on bail in the case. The trial in the case is expected to begin next month, an officer said.

Another officer said: “The accused was arrested on Tuesday night near Pothundy. Meanwhile, Nenmara SHO Mahendra Simhan has been suspended.”

Meanwhile, Sudhakaran’s daughters, family members and locals alleged that the local Nenmara police failed to act on the complaints of the family about facing threats from Chenthamara. After he came out of jail on bail last month, Sudhakaran had intimated to the police his fears of facing an attack from the accused. However, the police reportedly did nothing.

“If the police had taken action on our complaints, then my father and my grandmother would have been alive today. Today, my father is no more. He had threatened to kill us all,” said Athulya, one of Sudhakaran’s two daughters.

Locals told the media that the accused was highly superstitious and carried a grudge against the family on the advice of a local astrologer. The accused allegedly told locals several times that he would ”finish off” the family.

Previously, Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil demanded Nenmara SHO Mahendra Simhan be arraigned as an accused in the case for failing to protect Sudhakaran’s family despite getting complaints from them about Chenthamara.

“A week ago, when the accused had visited the police station with regard to his bail conditions, if the SHO and other personnel had kept an eye on him and warned him, today Sudhakaran and his mother would have been alive. The two kids wouldn’t have lost their father,” the MLA said.

Palakkad SP Ajit Kumar told reporters: “Police opposed the accused’s applications for bail and relaxation of bail conditions in court strongly. However, the court allowed both his applications.”

According to a third officer, Kumar has submitted a report to the Range DIG pointing out the lapses on the part of station house officer.