Salem triple murder: North Indian trio held in Palakkad

The police said Akash (27), his wife Vandana (25) and their relative Sunny (16), all hailing from Uttar Pradesh, were found dead with their throats slit at their rented house near Irumpalai in Salem. All the deceased were working as daily wagers in a silver smithy in the neighbourhood.

The four accused, identified as Vinod, Dinesh, Viji and Suraj, killed the trio, but spared the couple’s six-month-old baby alone before fleeing. On hearing the unattended loud cries of the baby, neighbours turned up to check and were shocked to see the three members of the family lying dead in a pool of blood.

On receiving information, the Irumpalai police rushed to the spot and sent the bodies of the deceased persons for a post-mortem at Salem Government Hospital. As subsequent inquiries revealed that four north Indian youth, who were staying in the neighbourhood, had gone missing, the police stepped up vigil in the railway station and bus stands in search of the accused.

“It was then known that the four persons had escaped to Kerala by train. A special team of police immediately rushed to the neighbouring state and picked up Vinod, Dinesh and Vijay from Palakkad railway station. The fourth person managed to escape and a search is on to nab him,” said a police officer privy to the investigation.  

The police suspect that the four men had barged into the house and tried to sexually abuse the woman, who was alone. When she resisted their advances, they murdered her by slitting her throat.

By then, Akash and Sunny also arrived and they too were killed by the four men. However, the police said further investigations are on to find out the exact reason behind the gruesome murder.

The police said the accused had come to stay in the neighbourhood only two days ago. The police have handed over the baby in the temporary care of the couple’s house owner Thangaraj.