Thrashed by husband over alleged infidelity, 19-yr-old dies at hospital

Chennai: Two days after a 19-year-old woman was beaten up by her husband over alleged infidelity in Kannagi Nagar, she died in hospital without responding to treatment on Friday night. Police have arrested the man on murder charges.

The accused Pugazhkodi alias Dilli (23) of Kannagi Nagar, an auto driver, married Saritha (19) a year ago without their parents’ consent after being in a relationship for a while, said police.

However, Pugazhkodi suspected Saritha of infidelity since he allegedly found his wife talking to another man on the phone. While Saritha denied the allegations, he once changed the settings on Saritha’s phone without her knowledge to record her conversion with her suspected boyfriend and played it before her later after which she allegedly promised to stay away from the person.

In the wee hours of Thursday, Pugazhkodi allegedly found Saritha talking on the phone and hit her several times in a fit of rage before going to sleep.

Since she remained unconscious the next morning, he rushed her to a nearby hospital and then transferred her to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH). However, Saritha died without responding to treatment on Friday night.

Kannagi Nagar police registered a case and arrested Pugazhkodi on charges of murder.