Husband Sought After Woman, Child Found Dead in Attappady

Police in Attappady have launched a manhunt for a plantation worker from West Bengal in connection with the murder of his wife and their five-year-old daughter. The bodies were discovered on Sunday, packed in sacks and dumped in the Bhavani river near the Puthur-Cheerakkadavu area, after local residents noticed them when the water level receded.

The family had arrived in the region about 20 days ago for work on a plantation. Investigators suspect that frequent quarrels over the husband's belief that his wife was involved with another man may have led to the killings. The man has been missing since the incident, and authorities believe he may have fled to West Bengal.

A key breakthrough came from the sacks used to dispose of the bodies. They were identified as packaging for a specific brand of biryani rice sold in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. This trail led police to a grocery shop in Kottathara, which sources its supplies from Coimbatore. Examination of the shop's records, CCTV footage, and phone data helped narrow the focus onto the migrant worker, who is also suspected of purchasing the sacks.

Preliminary findings indicate that both victims suffered fatal neck injuries, likely inflicted with a wood-cutting weapon. The bodies are believed to have been folded at the waist, wrapped in plastic sheets, and placed in three sacks before being thrown into the river. The heads of both victims were recovered from one sack, while the remaining body parts were found in the other two.

The remains have been sent to the mortuary at Government Medical College Hospital, Thrissur, for post-mortem examination. Forensic reports are expected to shed light on the exact cause and time of death. Police are also investigating whether the absconding husband received help from anyone else in carrying out the crime.