Coimbatore: A 19-year-old college girl paid Rs 1.5 lakh to allegedly kill her own father who opposed her love affair, police investigations into the bizarre patricide by a teenage girl in the district has revealed. What came as a shocker to the police during the probe was that Mahalaxmi, studying second year computer science in a private college near Echanari, had paid that amount to her boyfriend Satheesh, 19, to arrange for criminals to kill her own father, Nagaraj.
The 60-year-old fertilizer merchant residing near Chokkampudur in Coimbatore and who has a cattle farm near Devanampalayam in Negamam, had left home for his farm on May 23 night. But later, he was found dead on May 24, with his body lying under a bridge near his farm. Police found stab marks on his body.
Negamam police lodged a complaint and began further investigations. They suspected Mahalaxmi and her friends’ involvement in the case. Police then arrested Santhosh Kumar 19, Krishna Kumar, 19, Kamala Kannan, 21, and Sasikumar, 22, on Friday morning, all residing in Othakalmandapam, and friends of Satheesh.
Following the arrest of the four, Mahalaxmi along with her boyfriend Satheesh surrendered in a magistrate court in Coimbatore on Friday. She confessed to the crime. Mahalaxmi and Satheesh were subsequently remanded. As the aged farmer was not literate enough, his daughter helped to enter the accounts in his dairy. During investigations, police found false clues in his accounts and discovered that these were entered by Mahalaxmi to divert the attention of police.
When police started investigating that aspect, not only did she not cooperate, but also complained to the SP, demanding a stop to the investigation, stating that it was disturbing her mentally, reminding her of the loss of her father.
Mahalaxmi siphoned off money from her father’s account to buy a new bike for Satheesh. When Nagaraj came to know about this, he scolded his daughter, though his wife Pramila supported her daughter’s love affair. At one point, Nagaraj said he would not give his property to his daughter and sent both his wife and daughter out of the house.
Satheesh took a house for rent at Malumichampatti and settled with Mahalaxmi, along with her mother there. Meanwhile, Mahalaxmi sold her jewels, got '1.5 lakh for this, and gave it to Satheesh, asking him to arrange criminals to kill her father. She thought that this was the only way to marry her boyfriend and make the property hers, police said. Further investigations are on.
