CHENNAI: A 38-year-old woman was arrested for allegedly killing her former lover, chopping his body into pieces, and burying them in Kovalam on the outskirts of Chennai. Three men who helped her in the alleged crime are absconding. The police are yet to recover the body.
The victim is M Jeyanthan (29) from Villupuram. He was working as a ground staff with Thai Airways in Chennai airport. The shocking incident came to light after his sister, P Jeyakruba (41), an advocate in the Madras High Court, filed a missing complaint with Pazhavanthangal police on March 21.
In her complaint, she said Jeyanthan, her brother, was staying with her for the past five years.
On March 18, he told her he would go home to Villupuram after work. But, Jeyanthan never reached his hometown and his mobile phone was switched off, she further said. Based on her complaint, the police began investigating.
During the probe, it came to light that on March 19, a day after he went missing, Jeyanthan was in Pudukkottai. He went there to meet a woman with whom he was previously in a relationship, said the police.
The woman, identified as G Bakkiyalakshmi, was a sex worker, added the police.
During his visit, they argued, and Bakkiyalakshmi called her friend Shankar, who brought along two of his friends.
Quoting the accused, the police said, “The gang killed Jeyanthan and chopped his body into pieces. They then wrapped his limbs in a plastic bag, and during the wee hours of March 20 got on a bus with the served limbs and alighted near the outskirts of the city. They buried the body parts in Kovalam and returned to Pudukkottai,” said the police.
However, Bakkiyalakshmi made the 380-km trip twice. She stayed put with the rest of the body for six days, and on March 26, she hired a car and reached the city. This time a temple priest, who Bakkiyalakshmi claims is an old friend, helped her bury the body near Kovalam.
A hunt is on to nab the priest, said the police. The tahsildar and revenue officials have been informed to retrieve the body parts, said the police.
A senior police officer said the accused was giving conflicting statements and an investigation is on to get to the bottom of the case. Hunt is on to nab the three men who helped Bakkiyalakshmi in Pudukkottai.
According to the police, Jeyanthan first met Bakkiyalakshmi at a lodge in 2020. Jeyanthan had married her at a temple in Villupuram without the knowledge of his family.
In January 2021, the duo separated due to differences. Police suspect Bakkiyalakshmi often demanded money from Jeyanthan and this often led to fights.
It is unclear why he met her again recently, added the police.
The case could be transferred to Pudukkottai police, where the crime took place, added the police.