Three women killed by their husbands

Three women killed by their husbands

One Set Afire, Throats Of Two Slit; TN Saw 20,000 Domestic Abuse Cases Reported In 2020

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:23.02.2021 

Three housewives were murdered by their husbands in separate incidents, two in Kancheepuram and one at Kunrathur, on Sunday night.

A 40-year-old woman, Jeeva, was burnt alive by her husband Parthiban, 43, at their home near Achirapakkam because he suspected she was having an affair with an employee of his. The man and the couple’s 19-year-old daughter Pavithra are also in hospital in a critical condition as the fire engulfed them too.

Police said initial reports suggest that Parthiban of Mettu Colony who runs an iron scrap shop believed some acquaintances who told him that his wife fed him sleeping pills at night and was having an affair with an employee of his. On Sunday night he locked the house and set her on fire. The fire spread to Parthiban and his daughter. Neighbours broke open the door and took the trio to hospital where Jeeva died.

A 28-year-old driver Ezhumalai also murdered his wife Sasikala, 26, suspecting she was having an affair. Police said Ezhumalai was addicted to alcohol and used to assault his wife accusing her of having an affair. On Sunday night, he came home drunk and picked a fight with his wife and slit her throat and fled. Neighbours drawn by the cries of the couple’s three children took Sasikala to the Kancheepuram Government Hospital where she was declared on arrival. Later that night Ezhumalai surrendered at the Kancheepuram police station.

The third murder took place at Kunrathur where the woman, Keerthana, died on Sunday after battling injuries for nearly a week. Keerthana had married Panneerselvam, a rice trader, four years ago and the couple lived in Poonamallee. They did not have children and often quarrelled, police quoted relatives as saying. In the first week of February, Keerthana left her husband and returned to her parents’ house in Kundrathur.

On February 15, Panneerselvam reached his in-law’s house on the pretext of reconciling with Keerthana and took her to the terrace for a chat. However, a quarrel broke out between them and Panneerselvam who had a knife hidden in his clothes slit Keerthana’s neck and fled the spot. Keerthana’s family rushed her to a private hospital, but she died without responding to treatment on Sunday. Kundrathur police who had earlier registered a case of assault have altered it into murder and have launched a hunt for Panneerselvam.

The state in 2020 witnessed nearly 20,000 domestic abuse cases. “We used to counsel not less than 10 cases of domestic abuse everyday. In many cases women may be unable to air grievances as their communication is monitored,” said a senior officer attached to Poonamallee all-woman police station.

We used to counsel not less than 10 cases of domestic abuse everyday. In many cases women may be unable to air grievances as their communication is monitored

SENIOR POLICE OFFICER

Poonamallee all-woman station