Chenthamara, a highly skilled criminal; discarded poison bottle to mislead cops: Police

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Palakkad: Chenthamara (54), the prime suspect in the double murder case in Nenmara, is a highly skilled criminal. He managed to evade capture for two days by closely monitoring police actions, said Palakkad district police chief Ajith Kumar on Wednesday. After an initial round of questioning, the police are set to collect evidence and recreate the crime scene soon.
"Based on information from various sources, the police launched a search for Chenthamara, who was eventually captured from a field near his home last night. It is believed that he returned home, unable to bear hunger, after hiding in the forest. During questioning, he confessed to committing the double murder. Small wounds were found on his body from jumping over a fence. The suspect had a clear understanding of the area," Ajith Kumar explained.
"Chenthamara is a highly skilled criminal. He closely observed the police’s actions, which allowed him to remain hidden for two days. The police tracked him down commendably, and we thank the locals who assisted in the process. It is believed that the double murder was premeditated. The suspect had already purchased and stored weapons. Details about where he obtained the weapons will become clearer during the ongoing investigation. The suspect showed no remorse for his crime and appeared to take pleasure in it. It has not yet been confirmed if he targeted other individuals."
"Doctors have confirmed that Chenthamara did not ingest poison, as had been speculated. The poison bottle he discarded was likely an attempt to mislead the police. Chenthamara was home for a month. While he has made various statements, only a thorough examination will confirm their truth. He harboured a personal grudge against Sudhakaran’s family as he believed that their sorcery led to his wife leaving him. This belief led to the murder, according to preliminary findings."
"However, it has not yet been confirmed that sorcery was the motive for the murder. Chenthamara's belief that his neighbours practised sorcery might have been one factor contributing to the crime. Other reasons are still under investigation. He did not receive help from anyone to commit the crime or escape. While out on bail, Chenthamara worked at a quarry. He used a colleague’s phone to contact others," the SP added.
Chenthamara (58), who had previously been jailed for the murder of Sudhakaran's wife Sajitha in 2019, was released on bail before killing Sudhakaran (55) and his mother Lakshmi (75) on Monday. He was taken into custody in Pothundy, near Nenmara on Tuesday night. His brother had informed the police that he would not survive more than two days without food. The police, led by Alathur DySP N Muralidharan, conducted the search operation involving over a hundred officers.