Labourer kills wife with spade, ends life

According to police, Kaliyappan (55), a resident of Gandhi Nagar, frequently quarrelled with his wife Santha (50) as she went to work as a daily wager against his wish.

When a quarrel broke out on Wednesday, their son Murugan and daughter-in-law intervened and pacified them.

However, an agitated Kaliyappan murdered his wife early on Thursday by hitting with a spade on her head. The accused locked Murugan and his wife in another room. He then fled the spot.

On hearing Murugan’s cries for help, the neighbours arrived and unlocked the doors.

They then found Santha lying dead in a pool of blood.

Even as police launched a manhunt for Kaliyappan, they were informed that the latter had committed suicide at another house in Sangagiri.

Police sent the bodies to the Salem Government Hospital for post-mortem.