VELLORE: A 30-year-old auto driver has been arrested for raping and murdering a second year college student at Minnur in Ambur.
The deceased Sandhiya (name changed) (21) of Minnur was returning in an auto after getting her exam hall ticket from her college, when the alleged incident happened. Initially, it was said that she was severely injured in a road accident, as the auto overturned on the Chennai-Bengaluru National Highway on November 7. She was rushed to the Christian Medical College and Hospital in Vellore after the accident, but succumbed to injuries on that day.
However, the autopsy report said Sandhiya was raped hours before the incident.
Preliminary police inquiry revealed that auto driver R Sakthivel (30) was in a relationship with Sandhiya for the past two years and often demanded sexual favours from her, though she refused.
When Sandhiya was returning alone from the college with Sakthivel in the auto on November 7, he allegedly took her to an isolated spot and raped her. An angry Sandhiya threatened to inform her parents about the incident and file a police complaint against him. Afraid of being arrested, Sakthivel hit her on her head and she fainted.
Later, he concocted a story to make the incident look as though Sandhiya was injured when the auto overturned, as an excuse for her head injuries. Sandhiya was admitted in the hospital, but died without responding to treatment. Sakthivel was arrested on late on Sunday and a case has been registered in the Ambur Taluk police station.