COIMBATORE: Coimbatore city police booked a couple in connection with the murder of a woman who worked in their hardware shop.
The suspects, identified as R Navaneethan, the shop owner, and his wife Akila, were initially booked under 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC which has been altered to 302 IPC on Thursday. Both are absconding, police said.
According to police, the 37-year-old victim, of Karnapuram in Erode district, had separated from her husband a few years ago and lived with her mother while working at the hardware shop in Bhavani. Earlier, she had recorded videos about Navaneethan and his wife Akila and claimed that they would be the reason for her death. A judicial magistrate had taken her dying declaration.
When her family members recorded her statements, the victim revealed that she was sexually assaulted by the owner multiple times and had taken pills to prevent pregnancy often due to this. Akila was aware of the situation, the victim said in the declaration.
The victim had visited Navaneethan in his house in Kannusamy Street at RS Puram in Coimbatore city on May 29 at around 10:30 am, where she was allegedly set on fire. She was then admitted to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) and died on Thursday morning.
Parents and relatives of the deceased refused to receive the dead body till Thursday evening and demanded the police arrest the couple. RS Puram police have formed three special teams to nab the couple.