Chennai: A 24-year-old man, who had earlier advised his wife to abort their child, was arrested on Sunday for the murder of the couple’s three-month-old child near Gummudipoondi, 50 km from the city. Arul Raj had a week ago poisoned the child, who died without responding to treatment at the Government Stanley hospital on Saturday evening.
Police said that Arul Raj married M. Suganthi from his village, Elavur near Gummidipoondi, less than a year ago. Investigations revealed that the two of them were in a relationship when he impregnated her and tried to abandon her. However, village elders intervened and got the duo married.
“Even after being married, he had insisted that his wife abort the child several times”, an investigating officer said. Suganthi objected to his suggestions and gave birth to a male child three months ago. Police said that Arul Raj asked his wife to kill the child as soon as he was born.
Meanwhile, a few days ago, the child started developing complications after which Suganthi took him to the Government Stanley hospital. The doctors who examined the child told her that the child had been poisoned. Family members alerted the Arambakkam police who registered an attempt to murder case against Arul Raj. Meanwhile, on Saturday, the child died, after which Arul Raj was arrested on charges of murder. He was produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.
Arumbakkam inspector Muthu Ramalingam said that Arul Raj had no steady job and was working in a private firm in Gummidipoondi for a short period.
