Sivakasi man held for killing 3-yr-old girl

SIVAKASI: Police on Sunday arrested a 27-year-old man for allegedly murdering his live-in partner's three-year-old daughter near Sivakasi. Investigators suspect he killed the child because he considered her an obstacle to his relationship with the girl's mother.

The victim's mother, Swathi, had been living with the accused, Vigneshwaran, for the past four months after separating from her husband following a family dispute, police said.

The accused, K Vigneshwaran (27) of Parapatti near Sivakasi, allegedly killed the three-year-old girl, Vishnupriya, by smashing her head against the floor after repeatedly assaulting her, police said. Investigators found clumps of hair missing from the child's scalp when they examined the body at the house. When questioned about it, the accused allegedly confessed that he had pulled out her hair before attacking her, police said.

Police said he had also allegedly assaulted Swathi before attacking the child.

Swathi (22), from Chinnakolampatti, worked as a daily-wage labourer at a fireworks manufacturing unit. She had married Duraipandi of Sattur several years ago, and the couple had a daughter, Vishnupriya. However, they separated a few months ago following family disputes. She later moved with her daughter to her mother's house in Chinnakolampatti.

While working at a fireworks manufacturing unit at Keelathailpatti, she became acquainted with Vigneshwaran, and the two later entered into a relationship, police sources said.

Vigneshwaran later rented a house at Pasumpon Nagar near Thiruthangal, where the two began living together four months ago. Since then, Swathi stopped going to work and was taking care of her child.

Police said the accused got angry whenever the child woke up crying during the night. He even attacked and threatened the child in the last two months.

After the child lost consciousness following the assault yesterday night, the duo rushed Vishnupriya to a private hospital, where doctors declared her dead.

After the duo brought the child back home, Vigneshwaran allegedly fled after handing over his mobile phone to Swathi. She immediately sought help from neighbours and informed the police.

On receiving information, personnel from the Sivakasi East Police Station rushed to the spot, recovered the child's body and sent it to the Virudhunagar Government Medical College Hospital for post-mortem examination. Based on a complaint, police registered a case, arrested Vigneshwaran and launched a further investigation.