Conservancy worker held for burning woman to death

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A day after a charred body of woman was found on the service road in Nolambur, police on Tuesday arrested the temporary conservancy worker of Chennai Corporation for murdering her.

On Tuesday evening, Nolambur police received information that a charred body of a woman was found on the empty land near Nolambur service road. Police rushed to the spot and sent the body to Kilpauk Medical College Hospital for post-mortem. A bag retrieved from the spot had an corporation identity card in the name of M Revathi (34) of Sakthi Sai Ram Nagar,Vanagaram During the investigation, police found out that Revathi's husband Murugan had lodged a complaint at Maduravoyal police station that his wife had been missing since Monday evening. After it was confirmed that the charred body was that of Murugan's missing wife, a case was registered by Nolambur police.

READ MORE: Charred body of woman found in Nolambur

After investigation, J Thimmappa (24) of Telangana, who was a driver of a garbage collection vehicle in Zone 11 where the deceased was also working on a contract basis, was picked up. Police said that the two were in a relationship even as Revathi was already married and mother of two children.

"On June 16, they pledged Revathi's five sovereign chain for Rs 35,000 and shared the money between them. Both of them reported to work on Monday after five days, but the supervisor allegedly refused to take her back citing her absence. Revathi returned home and stepped out in the evening to meet Thimmappa nearMaduravoyal flyover," said police. Later, they rode on Thimmappa's bike to the murder spot where a quarrel broke out between them as Revathi demanded her chain back. Infuriated Thimmappa slapped her and gagged her with the paper since she cried for help. "Later, he tied her hands with her shawl and slit her throat with a pocket knife before throwing her into bushes and setting her ablaze," said police. 

While Thimmappa has been arrested, his two-wheeler has also been seized by police. It should be noted that the residents of the locality reported to the fire control room about the fire incident on Monday night and personnel from Maduravoyal fire station reached the spot accompanied by Nolambur police and doused the fire. However, they failed to notice the charred body due to the poor light, said police.