Drunk constable hacks wife to death before hanging himself in Puzhal

A 39-year-old drunk police constable murdered his wife before hanging himself in Puzhal on Sunday night.

Naresh Kumar was attached to the New Washermenpet police station and used to live in Sembium police quarters. He would often visit his in-laws’ house at Puthagaram near Puzhal as his son, Varun (6), stayed with them.

The police said Naresh and his wife Jayashree often quarrelled due to differences in opinion and on Saturday night, he went to his in-law’s house drunk and allegedly fought with her.

On Sunday morning, Jayashree’s uncle Saravanan, an auto driver, visited her and took her to his house in Sharma Nagar as they were upset about the quarrel the previous night.

When Naresh returned to Puthagaram after duty on Sunday afternoon he found the house locked. He then called Jayashree who told him that she was in Saravanan’s house with her parents and son. Naresh then went to Saravanan’s house and persuaded them to go to the beach with him. But, he took his family to their house in Putharagam and bought liquor on the way.

Later that night, Naresh got drunk and quarrelled with Jayasree again. In the midst of the argument, Naresh took a kitchen knife, slit Jayasree’s neck and stabbed her on her back and shoulder even as their son Varun was asleep. While Jayasree died of blood loss, a scared Naresh hanged himself using Jayashree’s dupatta.

The incident came to light when Saravanan called on Naresh and Jayashree and all his calls went unanswered. He grew suspicious and rushed to the house. As the house had been locked from inside, he broke the window panels to find Jayasree lying in a pool of blood. Shocked, Saravanan alerted the Puzhal police, who broke open the door and found Naresh hanging from the ceiling. The police also rescued Varun.

The bodies were sent to Stanley Government Hospital for post-mortem examination. Madhavaram Deputy Commissioner Ravali Priya and other officers visited the house and conducted inquiries. Further investigation is under way.