A man who allegedly stole a two-wheeler near Thirukkuvalai in Nagapattinam district drowned while attempting to flee from local residents by jumping into a pond.
Arulraj, 27, from Nallathur in Nedungadu commune, Karaikal district, allegedly stole a motorbike belonging to Vijayakumar, a resident of Kodiyalathur village near Thirukuvalai. Upon witnessing the theft, locals chased the suspect, who in a bid to escape, jumped into a pond located in the northern part of the village.
When Arulraj failed to resurface after a considerable amount of time, villagers grew suspicious and began searching for him. The Kilvelur Fire and Rescue Services were alerted, and a team arrived at the spot. After an hour-long operation, they recovered the man’s body from the water.
Initial investigation revealed that Arulraj had previously served a prison sentence in a 2024 case for sexual assault and murder of a nine-year-old boy. Police suspect he was attempting to flee after stealing the bike when he jumped into the pond and drowned.
The body was sent to Nagapattinam Government Medical College Hospital for post-mortem examination.
Published – August 05, 2025 04:46 pm IST
