ERODE: Two days after charred human skeletal remains were found in a reserve forest in Bargur hills, the district police on Wednesday identified the deceased as P Sakthivel (24) of Kumbalam village near Shoolagiri in Krishnagiri district.
Police said Sakthivel married Pappammal (21), the younger sister of T Venkatesh (24) from the same village last year, and was in a relationship with Venkatesh’s wife. Due to this, Venkatesh hacked Sakthivel to death with help from four of his friends in the forest and burned the body. Police arrested Venkatesh and his friend R Rajendran (48) of Kumbalam. Three others are on the run.
On Monday, a team of forest officials found partially charred human skull and bones in Emmatti Pallam that comes under the Thattakarai forest range in the Bargur hills. Subsequently, Bargur VAO filed a complaint at the police station. After investigation, police identified the deceased as Sakthivel.
Police added that Sakthivel and Pappammal belonged to different communities but the marriage was accepted by both families. Ten days ago, Venkatesh, along with four of his friends, including Rajendran and Murugan, took Sakthivel to Bargur hills to cut sandal trees. In the evening all of them, except Sakthivel, returned home. When relatives inquired about Sakthivel, they told them that while they were in the forest, they heard gunshots and ran in different directions and did not see Sakthivel.
Following this, the family lodged a missing complaint in Berigai police station who sent out an alert to all police stations. Based on this, Erode police established Sakthivel’s identity.
According to police, Venkatesh and his friends hacked Sakthivel to death inside the forest and burned the body. GM Rathnakumar, DSP of Bhavani, said, “Sakthivel was killed because he was in a relationship with Venkatesh’s wife. They brought Sakthivel to Bargur with the intention of killing him. But they told a different story to relatives. Murugan, who is in hiding, devised the plan. The full details will come to light only after we arrest the absconding three. We are also investigating whether this is a case of honour killing.”