Late Tamil actor VJ Chitra’s husband arrested for alleged abetment to suicide

The 29-year-old popular actor was found hanging inside a hotel room near EVP film city in Chennai’s Poonamallee

Chennai police have arrested Hemanth, the husband of late Tamil television actor VJ Chitra who died allegedly by suicide on December 9. Police have registered a case under Indian Penal Code section 306 [abetment to suicide].

Representational Image.

“After a few days of investigation, we arrested him late Monday night on charges of abetting her suicide, and produced him before the judicial magistrate of the Poonamallee court,” said K N Sudharshan, assistant commissioner of Poonamallee police division and the investigating officer in this case. Hemanth has been lodged at judicial custody in Ponneri jail.

The 29-year-old popular actor was found hanging inside a hotel room near EVP film city in Chennai’s Poonamallee. She had acted in Tamil daily soap Pandian Stores. The couple had checked into the hotel which was closer to her shooting location. Police said the couple had quarrelled over financial issues and also her performance in certain scenes.

In their investigation, police had also spoken to the late actor’s parents, in-laws, co-stars, and friends.

The regional division officer also began probing the case independently from Monday, which is procedural when a woman dies within seven years of marriage.