Man arrested for murdering wife

The Maanur police have arrested a youth for allegedly murdering his wife demanding more dowry.

Police said the body of M. Bagyathai, 23, of Mela Ilanthaikulam near Maanur, who was married to C. Antony, 25, of Kuppanaapuram near Maanur 8 months ago, was retrieved from a well at Kuppanaapuram on Sunday after she went to the nearby church.

Based on the complaint from the girl’s brother Antony, the Maanur police registered a case.

During investigation, the police found that Bagyathai’s husband Antony and his family members were allegedly torturing her demanding 10 sovereigns of gold ornaments or ₹10 lakh in cash as dowry.

Moreover, the villagers told the police that Bagyathai was seen praying in the church till 12 noon and the body was retrieved at 3 p.m.

“Even though it was a case of suicide, the body will not float within the short span of 3 hours. So, someone should have murdered Bagyathai and flung the body into the well, we suspect,” a police officer said.

When the police picked up on Monday Bagyathai’s husband Antony, an employee of Veterinary College and Research Institute at Ramaiyanpatti, for an interrogation, he allegedly confessed to the police that he had strangulated her to death and dumped the body in the well to show it as the case of suicide.

Further investigations are on.