The city police apprehended Praveen, son of former AIADMK MP Kolandhaivelu, in New Delhi. He was wanted in the murder of his mother. Rathinam, 63, wife of former MP Kolandhaivelu, was found dead at her residence on Sixth Avenue in Besant Nagar on April 14. The police suspected that her son Praveen, 36, could have murdered her over a property dispute.
Praveen, who was educated in London, had married a Polish woman and settled there years ago. He had come to meet Rathinam and picked up a quarrel with her over property, leading to the murder, the police said.
While he was quarrelling with his mother, she called her daughter in Tirupur and told her of being attacked by her son. Her daughter, in turn, asked one of her relative living in the city to rush to Rathinam’s house and prevent any untoward incident. However, the relative, on reaching the house, found the woman lying dead in a pool of blood. Praveen had escaped.
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After investigation, the police on May 10 nabbed an auto driver, Sathya, 38, of Palavakkam. He was a driver in the former MP’s house five years ago, and had become a friend of Praveen. Sathya also helped Praveen sell the family’s house in Thiruvanmiyur, police said.
“On the day of the murder, Praveen came with Sathya and his wife Jothi to Rathinam’s house. The couple stood guard outside. Praveen went in and insisted that his mother sold the property immediately without giving any share to his sister. As she refused, he murdered his mother. After the murder, Praveen stayed at Sathya’s house, before fleeing the city. There were 25 stab injuries on Rathinam’s body,” said a police officer.
Confirming the arrest, Assistant Commissioner of Police Vinod Santharam said, “our special team apprehended Praveen in New Delhi. He will be brought to the city and remanded in judicial custody.”
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