Kannur: A female civil police officer was hacked to death by her estranged husband at her parents' house at Kannur's Karivellur-Peralam grama panchayat on Thursday.

Payyanur Police, which registered the murder case, identified the deceased as P Divyasree (35), attached to the Kerala Armed Police IV Battalion at Mangattuparamba in Kannur district. The accused K Rajesh was arrested from a bar by Valapattanam police.

Divyasree was till recently posted at Chandera police station in Kasaragod district, and close to her house. They have a son in Class 7. They were living separately.

Around 5.30 pm on Thursday, Rajesh came to his father-in-law Vasu's house at Paliyeri and attacked her with a machete. Vasu, who tried to save his daughter, was also injured in the attack. He is being treated in a private hospital. The nature of injuries suffered by Divyasree will be known only after the inquest scheduled on Friday, said a police officer.

Police suspect Rajesh was drunk at the time of the attack. He used to drive a taxi for a living. But of late, police are not sure of his source of income.