NAGAPATTINAM: The death of a 48-year-old union councillor here two weeks ago has been revealed to be a murder. His wife and his domestic help killed him by poisoning his food in order to conceal their affair, police said.
According to sources said, R Devendran, the Puthupalli-Vettaikaraniruppu union councillor, passed away in a private hospital in Tiruchy on January 6. A police investigation following a complaint later found that he had been poisoned by his wife Suriya (26) with the help of their help, A Chandrasekaran (32).
The councillor’s wife, Suriya, had an extramarital relationship with Chandrasekaran, police sources had said. Suriya had poisoned his food on December 28, following which he fell ill. His health deteriorated over the following week and he died at the hospital, said R Senthilkumar, an investigating officer from Thalaignayiru.
Devendran, who hailed from Sadaiyankadu village, was DMK’s branch secretary in Vettaikaraniruppu. Eight years ago, Devendran had married 18-year-old Suriya of Poovaithedi. The couple did not have children. Chandrasekaran, a BE graduate from Sadaiyankadu, was working at Devendran’s house for the past few years.
Sources said Devendran’s family admitted him on January 4. He was, then, referred to another private hospital, where he breathed his last, on January 6. Devendran’s family, however, found that Suriya had been speaking to Chandrasekaran through her late husband’s mobile phone. “We interrogated the woman and she confessed to her affair and the crime,” said KV Bakkirisamy, an investigating officer from Vettaikaraniruppu.
Meanwhile, suriya and Chandrasekaran were arrested by the Vettaikaraniruppu police on charges of murder and destruction of evidence. The duo was remanded to judicial custody. Further investigations are underway.