VELLORE: A man was arrested, charged with the murder of his wife in Palayapalayam in Arakkonam on Saturday, over matters involving dowry issues.
Murugesan, a daily-wage labourer, had been married to Vanitha (27) for more than seven years and had a four-year-old baby girl and a three-year-old boy.
According to the police, Murugesan is an alcoholic and would often fight with his wife demanding dowry. Last week, Murugesan allegedly hit his wife on the head in an inebriated condition. Vanitha was taken to a hospital where she was treated and returned home and was said to be fine.
On Friday evening, however, Murugesan after he was arrested, confessed to forcibly opening her mouth and feeding poison to her. Vanitha fainted and he alerted the neighbours by initially claiming that she committed suicide by consuming poison.
Doctors who examined Vanitha at Sholinghur Hospital told her relatives and her husband that she was brought dead. The parents of Vanitha registered a complaint in Banavaram police station and police arrested Murugesan on Saturday. After producing him in court, he was remanded in Vellore Central Prison for Men.