CHENNAI: Nearly a week after police recovered the body of a 35-year-old woman from a septic tank near Selaiyur, a man has been arrested in connection with the incident. Police said Devi of Vellore was rearing cattle at Gunasekaran’s farmland at Kovilanchery near Selaiyur. She has been working since January and stayed in a room on the ground floor allotted by Gunasekaran, who lived with his family on the first floor.
“Earlier this month, a man identified as Manikandan, had visited her and Devi had claimed he was her husband and the duo were living together in the same house. On March 16, Gunasekaran’s wife came searching for Devi and could not find her. She saw that Manikandan had packed his clothes. An hour later, he also went missing. Suspecting that they returned to their home town, Gunasekaran did not file a complaint,” said a police source.
On Wednesday last, Gunasekaran noticed a stench near the septic tank of his house and found Devi’s body dumped in it. He alerted Selaiyur police who registered a case. Manikandan was arrested from Villupuram.
Investigation revealed that Devi was married to one Murugan and was separated from him two years ago. She had then befriended Manikandan and the duo were believed to be in a relationship. Manikandan had given the woman `3 lakh which, it is stated, she failed to repay.
He had visited her to collect the money. When she refused to pay, he allegedly strangulated her and dumped the body in the septic tank, the probe revealed.