Sister is ‘ear-witness’ to crime, CCTV shows son leaving house

According to police, Praveen had returned from London after several years because he was in need of money.

On Sunday morning, Rathinam decided to return to Chennai, and went to the Besant Nagar house which was locked. She was alone in the house till evening, and when Sudha called her, she ‘heard’ the murder taking place. Sudha told the police that she could identify her brother’s voice, and she heard her mother pleading with her brother not to hit her.

A panicked Sudha called a relative residing at Thoraipakkam and asked him to rush to Besant Nagar. Her relative reached Rathinam’s house on Sunday night and found the door locked from outside. He said there were blood stains on the door. He called some neighbours who informed the police.

When the police entered the house, they found Rathinam dead with her hands and legs tied. The police said she was also gagged with a cloth stuffed inside her mouth. According to crime scene investigators, he tied her legs and hands with a plastic tack strip used for packaging, and stabbed her chest several times with a sharp object. An electrical wire was also found around Rathinam’s neck, connected to a nearby socket. It is not clear whether he tried to electrocute her or use it to strangulate her.

Praveen did not show upeven for father’s death

The police have formed three special teams to nab Praveen, who they suspect is the murderer based on CCTV footage which shows him leaving the house on Sunday evening. Speaking to DT Next, an officer said the suspect did not show up even for his father Kolandaivelu’s death three years ago.

“He left for UK for higher education when he was 22 and never returned home. Even his relatives and friends are not sure what he was doing in the UK. Some claim that he was into business, but his kin are not aware of it. He is said to have married a Lithuanian woman, we are trying to get in touch with her as well. A clear picture will emerge about the murder and the motive behind it only after Praveen is arrested,” said the police, adding that they have issued Lookout Circulars (LOC) to all airports to prevent him from flying abroad.

Meanwhile, the post-mortem examination of Rathinam was completed on Monday afternoon and the body was handed over to Sudha, who reached the city in the wee hours of Monday.