In a suspected honour killing, a man allegedly strangulated his 19-year-old daughter to death and burnt the body with the help of his friends.
She allegedly eloped with a Dalit and was still in touch with him even after returning home at the intervention of the police.
The murder at Udaikulam in Sivaganga taluk police limits on Tuesday night came to light on Thursday when K. Thangaraj (47) surrendered before the Village Administrative Officer (VAO) and confessed to the killing, the police said.
Body burnt
He told the police that he killed his daughter by hitting her with a log when she left the house on Tuesday night, and later burnt the body. But the police found that five of his friends were also involved in the murder.
After Thangaraj surrendered, the police arrested three of his accomplices, identified as K. Balamuthu (37), S. Thangamani (25), and V. Thangapandian (36), on Thursday night and launched a dragnet for two others — A. Balamurugan (30) and P. Kalaiselvan (32).
Arrested
The accused were arrested under Sections 149, 120 (b), 302, 201, 176 and 145 of Indian Penal Code and remanded in judicial custody. Police said the victim had eloped with A. Boominathan (27), a Dalit from the same village, in January and the police, acting on a complaint filed by Thangaraj, traced them in Tuticorin. The girl was produced before a Magistrate on Sunday and sent home.
