Thrissur: Premkumar, the key accused in the Padiyoor twin murder case, has reportedly been found dead in Kedarnath, Uttarakhand. The information was conveyed to his daughter by Uttarakhand police, officials said. However, authorities have not yet confirmed the identity of the deceased.

Thrissur Rural SP B Krishnakumar said a special investigation team from Delhi is expected to reach Kedarnath on Thursday to verify whether the body is indeed that of Premkumar. Given his history of deception and escape, police have insisted that official confirmation will only follow thorough verification.

The news emerged while a police team was searching for Premkumar in Delhi. According to sources, his daughter received a call, allegedly from Uttarakhand police, claiming that Premkumar had been identified based on his Aadhaar card.

Premkumar, a native of Kottayam, had been on the run since the murder of his second wife, Rekha (40), and her mother, Mani (74), at their home in Vellani, Karalam, near Irinjalakuda. Their decomposed bodies were found last Wednesday after neighbours reported a foul smell coming from the house. Mani’s daughter found the bodies, one in the hall, the other in an adjacent room, after entering through the back door. The house was found in disarray, suggesting a struggle.

Premkumar had reportedly stayed at the house just days before the murders and went missing immediately afterward. Rekha’s sister later revealed that she had filed a police complaint against him at the Irinjalakuda Women’s Police Station. Investigators believe a family dispute led to the killings, and suspect the victims were strangled.

Premkumar was already facing trial in a previous murder case. In 2019, he was arrested for slitting the throat of his first wife, Vidhya, in Udayamperoor. Though described by police as extremely dangerous, he was recently released on bail. In the Padiyoor case, police said he tried to mislead investigators by leaving his mobile phone on a northbound train. A lookout notice had been issued and CCTV footage of him had surfaced in the days following the murder.