A 32-year-old man was arrested by Ambalur police for allegedly murdering his first wife and burning her body deep inside a forest near Mallakonda on Sunday. The man, Chinnathambi of Mallakonda, allegedly strangled his 33-year-old wife suspecting her fidelity.
Chinnathambi and Parimala were married for 17 years and had three sons. Chinnathambi had returned from Singapore two years ago after working there for three years. After his return, he began suspecting her character and the couple had frequent quarrels. Parimala left Chinnathambi’s house and went over to her parent’s house at Pallakallapaavi, with their children and admitted them to a hostel in Alangayam. The village elders tried to settle the issue so as to make them live together but it failed.
Meanwhile, Chinnathambi married another woman, Tamilarasi, three months back. Parimala again approached village elders to intervene allegedly afraid of losing her claim over Chinnathambi’s property and urged them to unite her with her husband. Following the advise of the elders, Chinnathambi allowed her to live in a thatched hut nearby.
However, the couple once again picked up a quarrel on November 27 and she went missing soon after that. Parimala’s murder came to light after her parents and sister launched a search for her and found her half-burnt body at Periyakummalkattumalai forest area adjacent to Mallakonda on Thursday. She recognised that the body belonged to her sister by noticing the burnt fragments of a saree nearby which she knew belonged to her sister. Parimala’s sister suspected Chinnathambi’s involvement in the murder and lodged a complaint with the police, said DSP S Manickam.
As Chinnathambi was not seen by the villagers since Tuesday, police launched a search for him and picked him up for an inquiry on Sunday. “During the inquiry, he confessed to the crime,” said Investigation Officer (IO) M Sivalingam.