Chennai:
A man and his mother have been arrested in Tamil Nadu’s Tuticorin for allegedly killing his sister over the latter’s relationship with a man. They tried to pass off the crime as a suicide, but the woman’s autopsy and subsequent police probe revealed murder.
Political parties have described the incident as a possible honour killing and urged the government to enact a special law to prevent such crimes. However, police have not yet officially confirmed the angle.
“The accused had never met his sister’s male friend in person and was not aware of his identity. He only knows his name and has one photo. No caste angle as per our preliminary investigation,” a senior police official told NDTV.
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What Happened
The victim, identified as 19-year-old Abiselvi, was reportedly in a relationship with Hari Prasad from Salem. The two met through Instagram.
Police said Abiselvi’s brother, Thirugnanam, strongly opposed the relationship, demanding that she cut all ties with Hari Prasad. Despite the opposition, she reportedly continued the relationship.
On June 9, Abiselvi was found dead. Her mother and brother informed police that she had died by suicide by hanging herself. Based on the initial information, the police registered a case of unnatural death.
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However, suspicion arose after the post-mortem examination. During the subsequent investigation, police allegedly uncovered evidence indicating that Thirugnanam had strangled her during a fight. His mother is accused of helping him conceal the crime and stage it as a suicide.
Following what police described as a scientific investigation, both the mother and son were arrested for allegedly murdering her.
