Nagarajan opposed his son’s marriage, but now he smashed his daughter-in-law’s head and then poured kerosene on her before setting her ablaze.
In what is believed to be an honour killing, a 27-year-old woman was murdered by her father-in-law in Sante Beedi in Varthur on Tuesday.
The incident happened around 1.30 pm just a stone’s throw away from Varthur police station. In the cold-blooded murder, the accused, Nagarajan, who had opposed his son’s marriage to the deceased a year ago, first smashed his daughter-in-law’s head and then poured kerosene on her before setting her ablaze. He fled the scene after the murder.
Identifying the deceased as Vijayalakshmi, a software company employee who was on maternity leave, police said she died on the spot. Her baby girl, born three months ago, suffered burn injuries. The infant was admitted to VIMS Hospital, and is reported to be out of danger.
Vijayalakshmi’s husband Raja Kannan is also a software company employee. They fell in love while studying BSc in Madurai. Their parents opposed their marriage, as the two families belonged to different castes.
The couple got married despite the opposition in July 2010, and moved to Chennai to work in private firms. They moved back to the city five months ago.
On Tuesday, Nagarajan entered the house around 1 pm when his son Kannan was out on work. Before murdering her, he had an argument with his daughter-in-law.
Police said that neighbours heard Vijayalakshmi scream, and saw Nagarajan run from the house, his clothes stained with blood.
Police said that a team has been formed to nab Nagarajan.
Kannan’s mother and brother were also staying with him in Varthur. At the time of the incident, the mother and brother were away at their native place.
Vijayalakshmi’s cousin Karthik filed a complaint with Varthur police, who have registered a murder case. The post-mortem examination will be conducted on Wednesday after Vijayalakshmi’s parents reach the city.
Murders to keep honour intact
Two other cases of ‘honour’ killing were reported in the city this year. The decomposed body of a 26-year-old man, belonging to a scheduled caste family, was found in a storm water drain at Devarabeesanahalli in HAL police station limits on April 11, in a suspected killing.
Rajaiah, the father-in-law of the deceased, had hired a contract killer to murder Umakanth for marrying his daughter Rajitha, 21. Umakanth was kidnapped from near his house in Karimnagar district in Andhra Pradesh on April 7 and murdered in Bangalore the same day. The Andhra Pradesh police arrested Rajaiah who confessed to the crime.
In the second such case, in March, a 20-year-old woman and her four-month-old son were found dead near Bangalore. The woman’s husband had accused her parents of the murders. The woman’s family reportedly objected to the alliance. Two persons were arrested on March 19 for their alleged involvement in the honour-killing.
The incident occurred in Thammasandra village in Kanakapura Taluk on February 27 in which Deepika and her four-month-old child were murdered and their bodies burnt by her family members. The arrested included Deepika’s mother Gowramma and maternal grandfather.
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