Chennai: Nine-year-old boy strangled to death by mother's live-in partner

CHENNAI: Angry at his live-in partner over a petty quarrel, a 38-year-old man allegedly strangled her nine-year-old son, in Koyambedu on Tuesday night. The police are now hunting for the suspect who is absconding.

The deceased boy was identified as Tarun (9), who lived with his mother, Poovarasi (30), in New Colony, Koyambedu.

Poovarasi, who had separated from her husband, worked as a daily wage labourer. A few months ago, she entered into a relationship with Tamilselvan of Kovilambakkam, who works as a loadman in the Koyambedu wholesale market. Later, he moved into her home and lived with her and the child.

However, their relationship soured after he began accusing the woman of speaking on the phone regularly with another man. This led to frequent quarrels between them, said the police.

On Tuesday evening, when Tamilselvan and Poovarasi were at the Koyambedu bus terminus, an altercation broke out between him and some women there. Furious that Poovarasi did not support him during the quarrel, he went home in anger.

A little while later, he allegedly called her over phone and threatened to hurt her son and disconnected the call. Soon afterwards, Tamilselvan called Poovarasi again and told her that he killed Tarun.

Shocked by this, Poovarasi rushed home, only to find Tarun lying unconscious and Tamilselvan missing. She immediately alerted the authorities, who rushed Tarun to a hospital where he was declared as brought dead.

The CMBT police registered a murder case and moved Tarun's body to the Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital for post-mortem examination.

The police have launched a search for Tamilselvan. Further investigations are on.