Widow killed in Tirumullaivoyal, relative surrenders

Police said D Thilagavathi alias Thilaga, a temporary staff at an Anganwadi in Villivakkam, moved to Thiruvalluvar Street at EVR Nagammai Nagar with her daughter Princy after her husband Deepan, a wireman with Tangedco, died six months ago.

Thereafter, Thilagavathi’s relative, K Kumar (42) of Seethapuram village, reportedly developed a relationship with her and was known to visit her, the police said. When Thilaga didn’t step out of the house on Sunday, the house owner, Mallika, looked through a window and found her lying unconscious.

An ambulance was rushed to the sport, but the medical crew declared her dead. Since there was strangulation mark around the victim’s neck, the Tirumullaivoyal police registered a case of suspicious death.

An investigation revealed that Kumar had accompanied Thilagavathi home the previous night and the police launched a hunt for him. Later, the police learnt that Kumar surrendered in Vellore North police station and took him into their custody.

Kumar reportedly confessed to the police that he murdered Thilagavathi in a sudden provocation as she verbally abused him. He was brought to Chennai and remanded in judicial custody. Her daughter Princy was away at her grandmother’s house in Seethapuram for Pongal holidays when the murder happened.