Trio kills woman, her partner over loan in Tamil Nadu’s Thanjavur district

The police have formed a special team to catch the alleged killers who have absconded.

A couple and their associate hacked to death a 37-year-old Government employee and her partner in Tamil Nadu’s Thanjavur district on Tuesday following a monetary dispute, police said.

The prime accused had given a loan of Rs two lakh to the victim who was his cousin. (Representative photo/Getty Images)

The deceased have been identified as S Vanitha (37) who was an office assistant at the Thanjavur district collectorate and partner Kanagaraj (44), who worked as an attendant at a private hospital in the town, 350 km south of Chennai.

“Vanitha’s husband had died some years ago and she was raising three children on her own. Later she entered into a relationship with Kanagaraj, who had separated from his wife. Vanitha, Kanagaraj and the children lived together at the New Housing locality in Thanjavur,” said a police officer.

Police identified the accused as Prakash, a cousin of Vanitha, his girlfriend Maheswari and one Surya, a friend.

“Prakash had given Rs. two lakh loan to his cousin Vanitha in 2016. However, Vanitha took a long time to repay the loan. As Prakash began to insist that she return his money, she returned Rs. 1.50 lakh a few months back. However, she did not repay the remaining Rs.50,000. Earlier his year, Prakash lodged a complaint with the Thanjavur South Police Station,” the police officer said.

“Prakash’s girlfriend Maheswari, and his friend Surya had come along with the former. When the trio asked money from Vanitha, she asked for more time. An angry Prakash yelled at Vanitha. Kanagaraj got annoyed with this and tried to slap Prakash. Following an altercation, Prakash and his two aides attacked Vanitha and Kanagaraj with sickles and machetes and killed them in front of Vanitha’s children. Local people informed us of the murder,” the officer said.

All three accused are absconding.

“We have formed a special team to capture the accused. A murder case has been filed against Prakash, Maheswari and Surya,” a senior police officer with Medical College Police Station, Thanjavur told HT.