TENKASI: The Tenkasi district police on Tuesday arrested three juveniles for murdering a 27-year-old man who allegedly sexually assaulted one of them.
The suspects disposed of his body parts at different locations in the district. The deceased was M Mahendran of Valasai village near Sentha-maram. According to police sources, Mahendran had been missing since July 6.
His wife, Puvaneswari, lodged a missing complaint at the Senthamaram police station on July 14. During the investigation, police traced his two-wheeler near a water body along the Mela Kadayanallur–Kasidharmam Road.
Police sources said subsequent inquiries led to the three juveniles who later allegedly confessed to the murder. Based on their statements, Mahendran’s decapitated torso was recovered from an abandoned well under the Kadayanallur police station limits on Tuesday and his head was recovered from Courtallam, around 20 km away.
When contacted by TNIE, Tenkasi Superintendent of Police S Ashok Kumar confirmed that three juveniles had been apprehended in connection with the case. He said the motive behind the murder would be ascertained during further investigation.
Sources further added that Mahendran had been in contact with the juveniles over the phone despite objections from his wife.
On Monday, Mahendran allegedly lured the juveniles with alcohol and sexually assaulted one of them. Enraged over the incident, the three juveniles allegedly murdered him.
Personnel from the Senthamaram, Kadayanallur and Courtallam police stations are investigating the case. The recovered torso has been sent to the Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital for postmortem. Further probe is underway.
