Painter Hacked to Death in Thirumudivakkam by Brother-in-Law and Two Friends
A 30-year-old painter was hacked to death by his brother-in-law and two others at his estranged wife’s residence in Vazhuthalambedu near Thirumudivakkam on Saturday night. The incident occurred after an altercation broke out when the victim visited the house to demand custody of his two-year-old daughter.
The victim was identified by the police as Arun Pandian, a resident of Seven Wells Nagar in St Thomas Mount. Police said Arun had married Pradeepa, 24, a resident of Vazhuthalambedu, around six years ago. However, he was addicted to alcohol and frequently picked quarrels with his wife, causing severe marital strain.
About two years ago, Pradeepa separated from Arun due to the domestic disputes and moved to her mother’s home in Vazhuthalambedu along with their two-year-old daughter. Following the separation, Arun visited her mother's house on multiple occasions, demanding that Pradeepa allow him to take their daughter with him.
Relations between the families deteriorated further after Arun eloped with Prema, who was married to Pradeepa’s 20-year-old brother, Praveen. Police noted that Praveen harboured a deep grudge against his brother-in-law over the relationship with his wife.
On Saturday night, Arun went to the Vazhuthalambedu residence again and started a fresh quarrel with Pradeepa and her family members. As the argument escalated, Praveen and two of his friends, identified as Venkatesan, 20, and Velu, 20, confronted Arun and attacked him using a knife.
Severely injured in the attack, Arun was immediately rushed by his relatives to the Chromepet Government Hospital for emergency medical aid. Given the severity of his stab wounds, medical staff referred him to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai, where he subsequently succumbed to his injuries during treatment.
Following the victim's death, the Thirumudivakkam police registered a criminal case regarding the murder. Police officials initiated an investigation and arrested Praveen, Venkatesan, and Velu in connection with the fatal stabbing.
