Kozhikode: A three-month-long search spanning thousands of kilometres across major cities in the country and the examination of around 400 CCTV visuals helped police track down and arrest Vineesh (26), the accused in the sensational Drishya murder case. He had been hiding in Mumbai as a fisherman for the past month.

Vineesh, a remand prisoner, had escaped on December 29, 2025, around 11 pm from the Kuthiravattom Government Mental Health Centre. He broke through the wall of a restroom and scaled the compound wall behind the hospital. The absence of CCTV cameras at the facility made it difficult for police to understand how the escape took place and delayed efforts to trace him.

He was arrested on Sunday from Mumbai by a special team led by Padam Singh, Deputy Commissioner of Police, along with the Kozhikode Medical College Police team under Assistant Commissioner Biju.

According to police, Vineesh was tracked after different police teams travelled extensively across states following limited leads. “Vineesh avoided using mobile phones and did not contact anyone from his hometown, making the investigation more challenging. Acting on confidential information that he was in Maharashtra, police conducted searches in Nashik, Nagpur and Kalyan. We examined more than 400 CCTV visuals, and a crucial image obtained from Kalyan helped them narrow down his location. Officers then remained in the area for several weeks to continue the search,” said Padam Singh.

Police said Vineesh had earlier been lodged in a central jail and was shifted multiple times to the mental health centre after showing signs of mental instability. “He escaped by secretly obtaining an iron rod and spending days breaking through the wall. During this time, he behaved aggressively and used abusive language whenever hospital staff approached, which helped him avoid suspicion. After escaping, he changed clothes, took an autorickshaw to Kozhikode Railway Station, and travelled to Mangaluru. From there, he moved across different states, doing odd jobs and staying out of sight. For the past month, he had been working as a fisherman at the Mumbai harbour,” a police officer said.

Police suspect that Vineesh deliberately planned his escape from the mental health centre, as he had earlier been kept in a high-security jail block. He had reportedly insisted on being shifted to the hospital on various grounds, and investigators believe his behaviour, indicating mental illness, may have been part of this plan.

Vineesh had previously attempted to escape in a similar manner and was later caught in Mangaluru with the help of local residents. 

Drishya (21), a second-year law student at Elamkulam near Perinthalmanna, was murdered in June 2021. She was stabbed to death by Vineesh, her former schoolmate, after she rejected his advances. Her sister, Devashree, was seriously injured while trying to save her. Vineesh had also set fire to a shop owned by Drishya’s father to divert attention before committing the crime. He was arrested within hours of the incident.

As Vineesh had earlier threatened the victim’s family, they had been living in fear after he escaped from the hospital. A special investigation team was formed under the then District Police Chief T Narayanan to investigate the case.