CHENNAI: A 31-year-old man had been arrested on charges of murdering his 21-year-old wife at their residence in Tiruvallur on Friday. The deceased was identified as M Kousalya from Ponneri, and the accused as D Rajesh, a contract-based designer.
According to the police, the couple had an arranged marriage on August 25 last year. However, Rajesh was allegedly in a long-standing relationship with his distant relative M Deepika (21), which his family opposed, leading to his marriage with Kousalya. Police said Rajesh continued the relationship even after marriage.
Investigators said the accused, allegedly at Deepika’s insistence, planned to murder Kousalya in order to live with her. On Friday evening, when no one else was at home in Perumpedu near Ponneri, Kousalya returned early from college. Rajesh allegedly smothered her using a pillow, killing her on the spot.
He then attempted to stage the death as an accidental fall, and broke a window and spilled oil to suggest she had slipped. Rajesh locked the house from inside and raised an alarm later. Neighbours broke open the door and rushed Kousalya to the Ponneri Government Hospital, where doctors declared her dead.
Police grew suspicious during the preliminary inspection, noting inconsistencies at the scene. During questioning, Rajesh allegedly confessed to the crime and revealed Deepika’s role in the conspiracy.
A case has been registered under BNS sections 103(1), 238 and 351(2). Both the accused have been remanded in judicial custody, police said.