Man mistakenly murders stranger for wife; arrested

CHENNAI: A man who was enraged by the fleeing of his wife, tried to locate her but mistakenly attacked another woman. But he also managed to charge at his wife, who was lying nearby.

Devendran of Tiruvannamalai, a 55-year-old cattle trader and a widower, was married to widow Dhanalakshmi, another widow, for five months. Quarrels would break out often between the couple, following which Dhanalakshmi used to leave for Ambur.

After one such instance, Dhanalakshmi left her home for Ambur a few days ago. Devendran in a murderous rage was on the lookout for her. He got the information that his wife stayed on the pavement along with the homeless opposite Ambur railway station.

On Friday night, when Devendran went to the spot he found a group of homeless people lying on the pavement. He noticed a woman wearing a burqa he mistook her for his wife, and he couldn't recognise her properly in the darkness. He had a knife and attacked the woman when she raised alarm in pain, he realised she wasn't his wife. People around too panicked and raised alarm, among them, was his wife Dhanalakshmi. Spotting her, Devendran still in a fit of anger attacked her as well. He soon was thrashed by the people there.

The woman whom he mistook for his wife was Kouser, a mother of three.

Soon the Ambur town police were alerted and they secured Devendran upon arriving at the spot. A case has been filed and the investigations are on.