Wayanad: A petty thief, who ran away from police custody during an evidence-gathering exercise five days ago, was re-arrested on Saturday at Vythiri here.
Cheruvathur Manu (27), who had been hiding in a plantation, was nabbed with the help of local auto drivers when he sneaked into the village with the intention of leaving the district.
The youth had slipped away on Monday from the premises of a house from where he had stolen one-and-a-half sovereigns of gold. He told the police that he survived on jungle fruits and tender coconut inside the plantation.
Manu was re-arrested from Chelode near Vythiri, about six kilometres from Thalippuzha near Lakkidy where he had given the police the slip. He was taken into custody by the police units of Meppadi and Vythiri.
Manu's escape had put the Meppadi Police in the spot as the District Police Chief warned them of disciplinary action.
Meanwhile, the Meppadi Police has yet to confirm if they will take the accused back to the location to wrap up the evidence collection exercise in the theft case.
