Chennai: On the eve of her birthday, a 24-year-old software engineer in Tamil Nadu was chained, slashed with a blade and burnt alive by her former classmate who had undergone a sex change operation to marry her, police said today.
The disturbing incident unfolded in Thalambur near Kelambakkam, a quiet southern suburb of Chennai. According to police reports, 26-year-old MBA graduate Vetrimaran, formerly known alias Pandi Maheswari, under the guise of a birthday surprise, blindfolded 24-year-old R Nandhini and subjected her to an unimaginable ordeal involving chains and petrol.
The suspect and the victim, Nandhini, shared a history of friendship, having studied together in the same girls' school in Madurai. The arrest followed Nandhini's rejection of Vetrimaran's proposals, leading to strained relations between the two. Despite the fallout, they maintained some degree of communication over time, sources said.
Eight months prior to the murder, Nandhini, after completing her BSc degree in information technology(IT), secured a job in Chennai and was living with her uncle in the city. On the fateful day, Vetrimaran contacted Nandhini, inviting her to spend time together.
During their meeting, the transsexual man gave her new clothes and took her to an orphanage near Tambaram, where they made a donation. The seemingly normal outing took a horrific turn later on.
He suggested that he will drop her home and stopped at a remote Ponmar location on the way.Vetrimaran requested Nandhini to pose for photos in the lonely region. He then took the chains from his bike and tied her hands and feet while assuring her it was just for fun.
Despite her protests, he later refused to release Nandhini. He used a knife to slit her neck and arms before pouring a bottle of fuel on her and setting her on fire.
Vetrimaran fled the crime scene after committing the heinous act. Locals discovered Nandhini, fighting for her life, and immediately contacted the police. In a desperate attempt to save herself, she provided Vetrimaran's contact number to those who found her.
When the police reached out to him, Vetrimaran shamelessly arrived at the scene, falsely claiming that Nandhini was his friend. He accompanied the police and locals to transport Nandhini to Chromepet's government hospital, all while concealing his monstrous actions.
Nandhini succumbed to her severe injuries late on Saturday. However, by the time of her death, Vetrimaran had already disappeared. He was then tracked down and apprehended by the police on Sunday.
In his statement to the police, he revealed that his horrific actions were driven by resentment over Nandhini's refusal to enter into a relationship with him. Despite undergoing a sex-change process in the past, Nandhini had made it clear that they had no future together.
According to the police, she had just grown close to one of her colleagues, which prompted Vetrimaran to murder her. The accused is in judicial detention, and an inquiry is currently underway.
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