CUDDALORE: A 30-year-old man was arrested on Thursday by Kattumannarkovil police for abetting the suicide of his four-month pregnant wife on Tuesday at Kurugudi village. He allegedly subjected the deceased to torture since their marriage five months ago.
According to police, Selvakumari (26) of Ariyalur, a MCA graduate, married Rajasanduran (30) in February this year. Rajasanduran, who had studied in an ITI and worked with a private firm, quit his job after marriage. He often got drunk and mentally and physically tortured his wife, sources said, adding that Selvakumari was also harassed by her mother-in-law.
On Tuesday, as Rajasanduran once again came home drunk, Selvakumari, who was four months pregnant, had an argument with him and locked herself in a room, said police. A few hours later, as she did not respond when her in-laws called her, they barged into the locked room to find out that Selvakumari had hung herself from the ceiling fan with a dupatta, added police.
Kattumannarkovil police sent the body for autopsy. Upon hearing the news, the girl’s father Ganeshamurthy and relatives staged a protest before Kattumannarkovil police station and claimed that Rajasanduran had beaten up the deceased and hung her from the fan. They urged the police to take action.
“The autopsy report makes it clear that the death was caused due to suicide by hanging. However, on Thursday at 6 am, Rajasanduran was arrested for torturing his pregnant wife and forcing her to commit suicide under section 306,” said DSP Karthikeyan.
Assistance for those having suicidal thoughts is available on Tamil Nadu’s health helpline 104 and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050.