MADURAI: A 57-year-old man was arrested by the Madurai Rural Police on Sunday for allegedly murdering a 21-year-old man, his daughter’s partner, by running a car over the couple at Melur in Madurai, late Saturday night.
The deceased was identified as M Sathishkumar of Pottapatti village in Madurai. His partner, Ragavi (24), a widow and mother of two boys, sustained serious injuries and is being treated at Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) in Madurai. Aside from her father Alagar of Thumbaipatti, who is in custody, police said at least eight others were involved in the murder and search is on.
According to police, the incident took place around 11 pm when Sathishkumar and Ragavi, who belong to the same community, were on their way to Tiruchy from Melur on a two-wheeler. They had gone to the Melur police station to hold talks with Ragavi’s family.
Talks held at police station failed, couple attacked on the way back
Her family was against their relationship due to the age gap and because she refused to leave behind her sons, aged 5 and 7, with her family, a senior police officer said.
Sathishkumar, a distant relative and friend of Ragavi’s late husband, had been working abroad and returned to Pottapatti a few months back. Ragavi, whose husband passed away three years ago, resided in the same village.
The couple, who were in a relationship for the past few years, decided to get married and eloped in July, sources said. However, Ragavi’s family filed a missing person complaint and the Melur police, who began an inquiry on July 18, found the couple was living together in Tiruchy.
The couple, who claimed to have married, was summoned to the police station for questioning, during which, Ragavi’s family promised to arrange a formal marriage for them in a few weeks. Believing this, Ragavi went back with her family. However, the marriage was not conducted and, instead, Ragavi was confined to her parent’s house in Thumbaipatti, sources added.
On Saturday, Ragavi contacted Sathishkumar and asked to be taken away. He picked her up from her house and they went to the Melur police station, where they held talks with Ragavi’s family. However, as they reached a stalemate, the couple decided to leave for Tiruchy on a two-wheeler.
The murder took place on the way, police sources said. “Ragavi’s brother Rahul, who works abroad, played a role in the murder. He sought the help of some of his friends — Ayyanar and a few others — to run a four-wheeler over the couple, after learning they were going to live in Tiruchy,” police said.