3 held in ‘murder for gain’, chopping woman’s body, hiding in tanks in Salem: Cop

The knives used to dismember the victim’s body were provided by Sivaram, the butcher and have been seized

The 52-year-old woman whose dismembered body was found in two overhead water tanks in the Arisipalayam area of Salem on Tuesday could have been murdered for the jewellery she was wearing on the day of the crime, police said after interrogating the three suspects arrested for the murder.

Based on the information provided by Ramesh, a police team recovered more body parts kept in a plastic bag in another water tank on the neighbouring house’s terrace. (Representational/ Pexel)

Police are also probing the possibility of a soured relationship leading to the murder as one of the three was reportedly in a relationship with the victim.

The case involves the shocking discovery of dismembered body parts of the victim -- identified as Thangamani -- stashed in overhead water tanks in two houses in the Arisipalayam area of Salem district on Tuesday.

Ramesh, a priest living in one of the homes, opened a water tap on Monday morning and noticed a foul smell emanating from the tap; he and his family had returned home after two days. Suspecting a problem in the overhead water tank, he went upstairs with his son to inspect it. They found a bloodied plastic bag containing human body parts inside the tank and alerted the Pallapatti police.

Based on the information provided by Ramesh, a police team recovered more body parts kept in a plastic bag in another water tank on the neighbouring house’s terrace. The two bags were seized and sent to the district government hospital for a post-mortem examination.

Based on surveillance videos and questioning residents of the locality, the police arrested three people, including a woman. They were identified as Nandhini, M Malik Basha and K Sivaram.

Sivaram is a butcher who runs a shop in the area while Malik Basha works in a private firm, police said; Nandhini’s details were not immediately available. The knives used to dismember the victim’s body were provided by Sivaram and have been seized, a police officer said.

The motive behind the murder has emerged as “murder for gain” as the jewellery worn by the victim were missing. Police said that one of the accused was also in an ‘illicit’ affair with the victim.

“Since, the victim had been working as a house help in the region for several years, the accused on the pretext of providing her a job took her to a residence and committed the crime (August 30). Since, they did not know what to do with the dismembered body parts, the accused decided to conceal them in the overhead water tanks of the two houses,” a senior police officer said. He asked not to be named.