Wayanad: Dileesh, the Wayanad man who went missing after murdering his partner and injuring her elder daughter, was arrested on Monday. A native of Pilakkavu, he had been missing since Sunday after committing the crime, along with the woman's younger daughter. The police team rescued the child. 

Chekadi native Praveena (34) was murdered on Sunday evening, and her elder daughter, Anargha, sustained serious injuries. Dileesh went into hiding with her younger child, Abina.  

The police traced him to a coffee plantation near Tirunelli on Monday morning. It was Thimman, the plantation supervisor, who spotted him with the missing child and immediately alerted the police.

Thimman saw Dileesh hiding in a shed during a routine inspection. Dileesh had entered the shed through the roof and, when confronted, came out waving a knife and climbed onto another building with the child. He later allowed the girl to climb down safely, and locals took her to safety.

The police had deployed a dog squad and drones during the search operation, as the area where he was hiding was surrounded by forest. 

Dileesh had married a woman from Thottilpalam earlier but went missing in September 2024. He returned after the woman's relatives filed a complaint at the Mananthavadi Police station. 

It is believed that Dileesh met Praveena during that period. Praveena, who was separated from her husband Sudheesh, had been living in Vakery near Chekadi with her two daughters.

The accused was taken to the Thirunelli police station for interrogation. Wayanad SP Taposh Basumatari is leading the interrogation. While briefing the media in Tirunelli, Basumatari said the timely arrest of the accused was made possible by the full support of the forest department and local residents. “There were three police teams that conducted search till morning,” he said, adding that Dileeash remained in hiding due to the continuous search effort.

He also mentioned that the victim had submitted a brief complaint about their strained relationship at the Tirunelli police station a week earlier, but later withdrew it herself.

Regarding the motive, Basumatari said the police are yet to examine it. He also thanked the public and media for their assistance in ensuring a swift arrest.