In Tamil Nadu, man stabs estranged wife to death in public

CHENNAI: An

auto rickshaw

driver stabbed his estranged wife to death in full public view on a

Chetpet street

on Wednesday afternoon after a heated argument.


Police said David, 44, and his wife Lekha, 30, had separated a year ago after he accused her of seeing another man.

On Wednesday, he accosted her near her house in a bid to patch up, but she rebuffed him. Witnesses told police that after a heated argument, David pulled out a kitchen knife and stabbed Lekha repeatedly in the chest and stomach.

The two, who had a love marriage in 2004, have two daughters — Priyadarshini, 13 and Deepadarshini, 12. Lekha moved with the children into a separate house on Appa Rao Garden Second Street in Chetpet a year ago. David lived on Thiruveethiamman Koil Street in Aminjikarai, but he continued to keep a tab on Lekha.

David told police that his friends had informed him that Lekha continued to chat with the man he was suspicious of and that he was often seen near her house. David called up Lekha on Wednesday and accosted her near her house around 2.30pm.

Lekha refused to speak to him and ignored his attempt to patch up. In a fit of rage, David attacked Lekha. Local residents and passers-by went to her rescue and caught hold of David.

Someone dialled 100 to inform the police control room and a patrol team rushed to the spot and nabbed David. He was taken to the Chetpet police station.

Police sent Lekha to the

Kilpauk Medical College

and Hospital where the doctors declared her brought dead.

The Chetpet police registered a murder case and arrested David. He will be remanded in judicial custody after being produced before a magistrate court.