Chennai: Doubts over his wife’s loyalty prompted a lorry driver to stab his wife to death with a kitchen knife in Pallikaranai on Saturday night. Just hours after the murder, night patrol police arrested him while he was fleeing to Tiruchy where his first wife resides.

According to the police, Suganthi (37) of Mugalivakkam near Chennai had left her husband Iyappan (46), a lorry driver, for a person named Rehman three years ago. “As Iyappan had been out for most of the days for work, Suganthi had developed a relationship with Rehman. Suganthi eloped with him and was residing in a rented house in Narayanapuram in Pallikaranai along with her two daughters.”





Rehman had left Suganthi forcing her to reconcile with her husband six months ago. Even though Iyappan agreed to live with her again, in Mugalivakkam, she refused and asked Iyappan to come to Pallikaranai. “Iyappan and Suganthi had been living in Pallikaranai since then. But Iyappan grew suspicious that Suganthi had developed a relationship with another person. They quarrelled over the issue frequently,” the police added.

The couple had quarrelled on infidelity when their two daughters went out to play on Saturday evening. In a fit of rage, Iyappan took a kitchen knife and allegedly stabbed Suganthi before slitting her throat. Fearing the police, he locked the house from outside, left the body inside and fled the scene on his two-wheeler.
When the daughters returned home at around 7 pm, they found doors locked and sought the help of neighbours. “The neighbours opened the window doors and peeped into the house with a torchlight only to find Suganthi’s body on the bed,” the police said.

Based on the information, the Pallikaranai police went to the spot and sent the body to Chromepet Government hospital for post-mortem. They also launched a hunt for Iyappan. Meanwhile, Selaiyur police, who were checking vehicles, tried to stop a speeding two-wheeler on Tambaram - Velachery Road at around 11.30 pm. Tthe two-wheeler did not stop and a chase ensued.

The police arrested the man and later came to know that he is Iyappan. Selaiyur police informed Pallikaranai police and handed him over to them. “Iyappan has another wife Saroja in Tiruchy , whom he had married before wedding Suganthi. He was trying to escape to Tiruchy.” He had thought the police were looking for him and tried to speed past them, resulting in his arrest.