Man kills wife, carries torso on bike

Police said the accused, J Muniappan (25) could have gone unnoticed, had he not lost balance and fell off from his bike near Kannavelampalayam near Perundurai.

“When he lost balance and fell off, the villagers rushed to help. But Muniappan took to his heels, much to the surprise of all. The villagers found a headless body of a woman, and chased and caught him,” the police said.

Inquiries revealed that Muniappan had murdered his wife Nivetha (19), also from Karnataka, with whom he had fallen in love and got married to only six months ago. “He suspected his wife of having an affair. On Monday night, the couple was going on his bike through Bhavani Road when a quarrel broke out,” the police said.

In a fit of rage, Muniappan stabbed Nivetha on her neck with a knife and then severed her head. He then placed her body on the bike’s tank by resting it on him and packed the head in a bag. He was proceeding to dump it in the Lower Bhavani River when he was caught by villagers.

The body was sent for autopsy at Erode Government Hospital. Muniappan was arrested and produced in court, and lodged at Salem Central Prison.