Man held for murdering wife, staging it as suicide

A 25-year-old man was arrested by Perundurai police on Monday for killing his wife and attempting to stage her death as a suicide.

Mahalakshmi, aged 25, originally from Mayiladuthurai, had been married to P. Raja, also known as ‘Kottai’ Raja from Dindigul district, for two years. The couple had recently moved to Ellapalayam village in Perundurai and were living in a rented house.

According to the police, a week prior to the incident, Raja allegedly discovered Mahalakshmi with a young man from the same village when he returned home for lunch. This encounter reportedly sparked a dispute between the couple. On Sunday night, another altercation occurred, during which Raja assaulted Mahalakshmi, resulting in her death on the spot.

Raja then called the police, claiming that his wife had died by suicide. Upon arrival, the police found no signs of suicide and questioned Raja, who later confessed to the crime. Mahalakshmi’s body was sent to the Government Erode Medical College and Hospital for post-mortem.

Further inquiries revealed that Mahalakshmi had previously been married and had a seven-month-old baby, a fact she had not disclosed to Raja. Police said that Raja had recently discovered this information. He was arrested, presented in court, and subsequently remanded to prison.

Published - September 30, 2024 06:45 pm IST