VILLUPURAM: Mounting debt recently pushed a 30-year-old car driver to strangle his 2-year-old daughter to death before attempting to kill his 5-year-old daughter and himself.
According to Thiruvennainallur police, Purushothaman(30) of Thattampalayam in Cuddalore, had married Sivaranjani of Oteripalayam seven years back.
The driver of a private company stayed at Tondiarpet at Chennai with his wife and two daughters – Archana (5) and Kaviyashini (2). His wife Sivaranjani works as a housemaid. On December 12, he and Sivaranjani fought over his debt of Rs 3,00,000.
After Sivaranjani left for work, he packed and left with his two daughters for his native village. But after they reached Arasur he got down with them and bought pesticide to kill his daughters and commit suicide.
He went to a cemetery in Iruvelpattu village where he strangled Kaviyashini, his younger daughter, to death and later poured pesticide in Archana’s ear and drank the poison himself, but not before informing his relatives.
The relatives rushed to the spot and found Purushothaman and Archana lying in a semi-conscious state. They were sent to the government medical college hospital in Mundiampakkam. Thiruvennainallur police also rushed to the spot.
Based on Sivaranjani’s complaint police have filed a case. Purushothaman was discharged on Sunday.
He tried to flee by taking a bus to Arasur, but was nabbed by police. After inquiry, police presented him before Villupuram magistrate and remanded him in Villupuram prison.