NAGAPATTINAM: A tea-shop owner from a village in Nagapattinam district allegedly murdered his wife and two younger daughters before dying by suicide. The man was allegedly angry that his eldest daughter had married a Dalit youth and moved out.
The triple murders and suicide came to light in Puthucheri village in Kilvelur block in Nagapattinam district on Friday morning.
K Lakshmanan, 55, was running a tea shop and small eatery near his house in the village. He was married to Bhuvaneswari, 45, for the past 22 years. The couple had three daughters Thanalakshmi, 21, Vinothini, 18 and Akshaya, 15. The family belonged to a backward caste.
According to police, Lakshmanan's eldest daughter Thanalakshmi was in a relationship with a Dalit youth named Vimalraj from the village. They married in November against Lakshmanan's opposition. Thanalakshmi moved out and has been living with Vimalraj in another part of the village, since the wedding. Lakshmanan had been angry and frustrated about his eldest daughter, according to sources.
On Thursday night, Lakshmanan allegedly took a grinding stone and brutally pounded his wife Bhuvaneswari and his two younger daughters Vinothini and Akshaya to death. Then, Lakshmanan died by suicide.
As Lakshmanan did not open his tea shop on Friday morning, the neighbours went to his house to check around 7 am. They found Lakshmanan's wife and daughters lying in pools of blood, and Lakshmanan dead too.
On receiving the information, police retrieved the bodies and sent them to Nagapattinam Government General Hospital for autopsies. Nagapattinam district's SP G Jawahar visited the spot and ordered an inquiry. The forensic team and a sniffer dog were called to the scene to assist the investigation.
The triple murders led to tension in Puthucheri village. Police personnel were deployed in the village to prevent any untoward incident.
A case was registered in Kilvelur Police Station under IPC 302 for the triple murders and under CrPC 174 for Lakshmanan's suicide. Further investigations are underway.
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