Daijiworld Media Network – Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthapuram, Jun 5: In a chilling case that has stunned residents of Thrissur district, a man previously accused of murdering his first wife is now the prime suspect in the brutal killing of his second wife and her elderly mother.

The double murder came to light on Wednesday evening when police recovered the decomposed bodies of 74-year-old Mani and her 43-year-old daughter Rekha from their rented home in Padiyoor village, Thrissur. Neighbours raised an alarm after a foul stench began emanating from the house.

According to sources, it was Sindhu, Mani’s elder daughter and a teacher at Irinjalakuda Boys' School, who discovered the horrifying scene. Unable to reach her mother or sister, she visited the house, entered through the back door, and found the home ransacked—with both bodies in an advanced state of decomposition. Authorities were immediately alerted.

Initial forensic indicators suggest that strangulation or suffocation may have been the cause of death. A post-mortem examination is currently underway at the Government Medical College Hospital to determine the exact circumstances.

The main suspect, 48-year-old Premkumar from Kottayam district, is now at large. Premkumar, who married Rekha in her second marriage, has a disturbing history—he is currently out on bail for the 2019 murder of his first wife, Vidya, in Udayamperoor. In that case, he allegedly killed her and disposed of the body in a remote forested area.

Adding to the suspicion, police recovered a handwritten note believed to be from Premkumar at the crime scene. Though its contents have not been officially disclosed, sources describe the message as “threatening and hostile.”

Tragically, just days before her death, Rekha had filed a domestic violence complaint against Premkumar. Authorities had scheduled a counselling session for the couple on the coming Monday—an appointment she would never live to attend.

A statewide manhunt has been launched to trace Premkumar, with police teams deployed across multiple districts. The case has reignited concerns over bail protocols in cases of violent crime, as well as the urgent need for better protective mechanisms for domestic abuse victims.