Two women hacked to death, petrol bombs hurled in Tirunelveli district

Police suspect the murders could have been revenge for a double murder reported in the village last March

September 26, 2020 04:20 pm | Updated 04:20 pm IST - Tirunelveli

In a daring incident, two women, A. Shanmugathai (50) and S. Shanthi (45), were hacked to death by unidentified assailants, who hurled petrol bombs on them before attacking them with sharp weapons in Marugalkurichi, which falls under the Nanguneri police station limits in Tirunelveli district on Saturday.

The police suspect that the brutal murders could be revenge for a double murder reported in the village last March. Superintendent of Police, Tirunelveli district, N. Manivannan, who inspected the scene of crime, said that special teams have been formed to nab the accused.

This is the fifth murder that has taken place between two rival groups of the same village ever since an individual, Nambirajan of the village eloped with a local girl, T. Vanmathi (18) last year.

Vanmathi’s brother, Chellasamy and his accomplices were arrested for beheading Nambirajan in November 2019 in Tirunelveli City police limits. In retaliation, two relatives of Vanmathi -- Arumugam who runs a small eatery in the village and Suresh, were hacked to death in March.

The parents of Nambirajan, Arunachalam and Shanmugathai and their relatives were arrested in connection with the double murder. While Shanmugathai came out on bail earlier, a few of the accused had come out of jail only three days ago.

“We chased them out of the village anticipating trouble,” the SP said.

The gang that had come in search of the accused, went to the house of Shanmugathai and beheaded her.

They also went to house of Murugan, one of the double murders accused. Since, he was not there, the gang inflicted multiple cut injuries on his wife, Shanthi, leaving her dead on the spot. A minor girl, Selvi (14), who was in her house sustained minor injuries in the incident, the police said.

The police have recovered some weapons, including petrol bombs.

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