THANJAVUR: A 35-year-old woman was hacked to death, allegedly by her stepson and his two acquaintances, while she was returning home from her shop at Udhayasuriyapuram near Pattukkottai on Monday night. The stepson, who, along with the other accused, surrendered before a judicial magistrate court in Madurai on Tuesday, murdered the woman for opposing his father’s plan to buy a parcel of land and register it in his name, the police said.
M Saranya, who married T Balan (45) in 2022 following the demise of her first husband about a decade ago, was running a travel agency. On Monday night after closing down the shop, Balan along with Saranya’s two sons, aged 15 years and 13 years, from her previous marriage, returned home on a two-wheeler.
Saranya was walking down to the house from the shop when the three-member gang waylaid her and beheaded her. Following the murder, the Vattathikkottai police registered a case. Inquiry revealed that Saranya married Balan in 2022 following the demise of her first husband about 10 years ago.
Following their marriage, Balan’s first wife Raji resided in Melur near Madurai with her son Kabilan (19) and a daughter. Balan planned to buy a parcel of land in Kazhuguppulikkadu at a cost of Rs 43 lakh and to register the same in Kabilan’s name.
This, however, led to quarrels between Balan and Saranya. Against this backdrop, Kabilan along with M Gugan (24) and P Parthiban (20) hacked Saranya to death, police stated.