Top News

Coimbatore: In a horrific incident that has sent shockwaves through the city, a man allegedly hacked his wife to death at a private women’s hostel in Gandhipuram on Tuesday morning, driven by suspicion of her extramarital relationship. The accused, identified as Balamurugan, then reportedly took a selfie with her lifeless body and uploaded it to his WhatsApp status with a chilling caption: “The wages of betrayal is death.”

Balamurugan, a resident of Tirunelveli district, and his 30-year-old wife Sripriya had been married for 15 years and were parents to three children. According to preliminary police investigations, the couple had been living separately due to marital discord, with Sripriya working at a private company in Coimbatore and staying at a hostel on 100 Feet Road, Gandhipuram.

The investigation reveals that the trigger for the crime was a photograph sent to Balamurugan via WhatsApp by his relative, Isakki Raja, showing Raja with Sripriya. Enraged, Balamurugan travelled from Tirunelveli to Coimbatore on Saturday.

Police sources state that he first confronted Sripriya at her workplace in the Town Hall area on Saturday. Despite her pleas for forgiveness, he left. However, the situation escalated that night when Sripriya allegedly contacted Balamurugan and stated her intention to be with Isakki Raja.

Consumed by fury, Balamurugan, accompanied by Sripriya’s maternal uncle, went to the women’s hostel on Sunday morning under the pretext of returning to his hometown. As Sripriya came out for breakfast, Balamurugan attacked her with a concealed sickle, slashing her neck multiple times within the hostel premises in front of horrified witnesses.

After committing the brutal murder, Balamurugan did not flee. He calmly sat on a chair at the scene until police arrived. During this time, he took the now-viral selfie with his wife’s body and posted it online.

Police from the Rathinapuri station, alerted by hostel inmates, rushed to the spot. They have seized the murder weapon, collected CCTV footage, and sent the body to Coimbatore Government Medical College Hospital for autopsy.

Balamurugan has been arrested. Further investigation suggests he had planned the murder a day prior. He had allegedly refrained from attacking Sripriya at her crowded workplace on Saturday and had consumed alcohol before executing the killing at the hostel on Sunday.

The police are conducting an investigation into the matter.