CHENNAI: An astrologer was arrested on Wednesday for murdering a 22-year-old gypsy woman and her three-year-old daughter before attempting sexual assault.
According to police, Arun Pandian (25), and Roja (22), natives of Narikuravar colony on Avadi Camp Road, lived with their five-year-old son Parthiban and three-year-old daughter Sujatha. Arun Pandian used to sell beads, honey and other handmade products.
According to sources, on Pongal, Arun Pandian and his son had gone to a village in Tiruttanni to sell beads, while Roja and Sujatha stayed back at home.
On Wednesday morning, neighbours peeped inside since nobody from the family had come out for some time and found Roja and her daughter lying in a pool of blood.
On being informed, a police team headed by Ambattur Additional Commissioner Eshwaran rushed to the spot and began investigations. The two bodies were sent to the Kilpauk Medical College Hospital for post-mortem.
After inquiring with neighbours, the police started suspecting a soothsayer, who had been eyeing Roja. The Avadi police registered a case arrested Veerakumar (18), in connection with the crime. Further investigation revealed that Veerakumar, a soothsayer in the locality had entered the woman’s house in the wee hours of Wednesday in an inebriated condition and had attempted to rape the woman.
When she cried for help, he allegedly crushed her head with a stone and then raped her. He also murdered her daughter as she had shouted. The police arrested him on Wednesday and produced him before the court, which remanded him in judicial custody.
