Cops crack murder cases of 2 women; arrest two persons

According to the police, the accused Balakrishnan (27) had claimed that the victim was blackmailing him to maintain secrecy over their illegal affair. Police sources said the victim V Revathi (32) was married to Vijayaraj (40) and the family lived in a rented house that belonged to Balakrishnan. She developed a relationship with Balakrishnan but often demanded money from him, due to which he put an end to the affair. 

Meanwhile, about a month ago problem broke arose between Revathi and her husband following which she left him and the children and moved to a rented house at Arisipalayam. When Revathi started pestering Balakrishnan for money again, he hacked her to death. 

Eleven days after the rape and murder of a 32-year-old widow in Appiya Kadu near Tiruchengode in Namakkal District, the police arrested a rag picker on Thursday. The accused has been identified as Loganathan of Chepparai near Tiruchengode. 

Tiruchengode rural police said that during the late hours of July 16 the accused was consuming alcohol in an eatery. He overheard the victim saying that she wanted a lift to her house. 

Loganathan volunteered and took her to Appiya Kadu, made her get drunk and raped. Later, when she woke up they had a scuffle and the man pushed her down. Her head hit a stone and she died. The man stole her earrings, nose ring and phone.  

Inquiry revealed that he sold the nose ring for Rs. 150 at Komarapalayam. When he began using the phone with a new SIM card, he was arrested and produced before the Judicial Magistrate.