Man on bail for 2019 murder, arrested for killing two more family members of the victim

Sumesh Rajan

30 January 2025

 

A 58-year-old man out on bail for a 2019 murder has been arrested for allegedly killing two members of the victim’s family in Palakkad district of the south Indian state of Kerala. The incident has sparked outrage, with locals blaming police inaction despite multiple warnings about the suspect’s threats.

The accused, identified as Chenthamara, was arrested on January 28, 2025, after allegedly attacking and killing 72-year-old Lakshmi and her 50-year-old son, Sudhakaran, outside their home in the Nenmara region of Palakkad district.

Police say Chenthamara had a longstanding grudge against Sudhakaran’s family, believing they were responsible for the break-up of his marriage and the departure of his wife and children.

In 2019, this resentment led him to murder Sudhakaran’s wife, Sajitha, allegedly under the influence of a sorcerer who convinced him that a woman with long hair had ruined his life.

Following his arrest, he was granted bail under the condition that he would not enter the Nenmara panchayat area, where the victim’s family lived. However, he violated this restriction and remained in the village, where he allegedly continued to issue threats.

On December 29, 2024, Sudhakaran’s daughter had filed a police complaint warning about Chenthamara’s threats, but no action was taken by the local police. The local community has strongly criticized law enforcement, arguing that the double murder could have been prevented had authorities intervened earlier.

This tragic case has raised concerns over bail regulations and police accountability in preventing repeat offenses.

 

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