History-Sheeter held For Rape-Murder Of Schoolgirl

Thoothukudi:Thoothukudi police on Thursday arrested a history-sheeter in connection with the sexual assault and murder of a class XII student at Vedanatham near Vilathikulam in the district.

The accused, identified as Dharma Muniswaran alias Maaveeran (37) of Sayalkudi in Ramanathapuram district, is a convict in the rape and murder of a 65-year-old woman at Keelaeraal near Ettayapuram and was out on conditional bail. Police said he had been marking attendance at the mahila court in Thoothukudi as per bail conditions imposed by the Madurai Bench of the High Court. He was arrested when he appeared before the court. Investigators said he allegedly committed the present offence on March 10 evening while returning after signing at the court. He has around 24 criminal cases pending against him, including 17 theft cases.

The arrest followed a sustained and multi-pronged investigation. CCTV footage from a windmill near the crime scene showed a man travelling towards the forest area on a two-wheeler on March 10. The vehicle was later traced to a theft reported at Parthibanur in Ramanathapuram district, leading to the identification of the accused.

Superintendent of Police C. Madhan told the media that the accused was nabbed through a scientific and systematic investigation involving multiple lines of inquiry. The investigation teams comprised four deputy superintendents of police, six inspectors and about 150 personnel, along with fingerprint experts, forensic teams and a dog squad.

The police analysed 2,579 call detail records in and around the crime scene and examined 461 history-sheeters, including known offenders and former prisoners. Around 800 men from Vedanatham, Vepalodai and Duraisamypuram were also questioned during the probe. The police superintendent ruled out the involvement of five persons whose samples had earlier been sent for DNA testing in the case.