The suspect, identified as Vetrimaran, a trans man who changed his name from Pandi Maheswari, blindfolded, chained and burnt R Nandhini alive.
Published Dec 25, 2023 | 2:15 PM ⚊ Updated Dec 25, 2023 | 6:09 PM
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A transexual man who burnt alive his childhood classmate — a software engineer — in a gruesome manner was arrested and remanded to judicial custody, the police said on Monday, 25 December.
The suspect, identified as Vetrimaran, a trans man who had changed his name from Pandi Maheswari, blindfolded, chained and burnt R Nandhini alive, under the pretext of surprising her on her birthday eve on Saturday, 23 December, at Thalambur near Kelambakkam, Chennai’s southern suburb, they said.
The victim, a 25-year-old software engineer from Madurai working in Chennai, did not suspect his intentions, as Vetrimaran said he wanted to surprise Nandhini ahead of her birthday.
Gowtham Goyal, DCP Pallikaranai, told South First, “The victim had an affair with the person before she found he is a trans person. Thereafter, she rejected him and entered a relationship with another man. So, the murder plot is based on revenge.”
As per reports, Vetrimaran had become possessive of Nandhini and did not want her to have other male friends. However, the woman did not adhere to his wishes due to which he had been quarrelling with her over the past six to eight months.
On Saturday, which was the eve of Nandhini’s birthday, Vetrimaran contacted Nandhini. He said he would not argue with her and asked her to meet him once as he had planned a surprise for her birthday.
“Around 7:00 to 7:15 pm, he took her to a vacant plot near Ponmar Road. As per the preliminary investigation, he would have blindfolded her under the pretext of presenting a gift. After that, he chained her arms and legs before cutting her wrists and ankles. After that, he poured kerosene on her and left her immolating,” the DCP said.
He added that a few years ago Vetrimaran returned to Chennai from Bengaluru and underwent a gender affirmation procedure. “We believe that since then the lady rejected her as a partner.”
Hearing her cries, a few passers-by alerted the police. However, before she was rushed in an ambulance to the Chromepet Government hospital for treatment, Nandhini gave out the mobile number of Vetrimaran, police said.
“Initially, he came to identify Nandhini and had accompanied her to the GH but later disappeared,” a police officer told PTI. He was, however, nabbed on Sunday, 24 December, and later remanded in judicial custody.
“Had Nandhini told us there was a problem then we would have helped her. Being empathetic cost Nandhini her life,” her father told PTI.
Her elder sister said the family got a call from the police saying her sister had been set afire and that she was dead.
According to PTI Nandhini has been residing at her relative’s house in Chennai.
Investigation revealed that Pandi Maheswari, 26, studied with Nandhini at a school in Madurai.
Nandhini had continued her friendship on humanitarian grounds even after Maheswari changed their name to Vetrimaran.
The two had worked in a company in Chennai, they added.
On Sunday evening, the police handed over Nandhini’s body to her family on her birthday.
(With inputs from Ajay Tomar)
