The victim has been identified as Anila (44) from Thazhuthala, while the accused, Padmarajan (60), surrendered to the Kollam East police shortly after committing the crime.
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In a shocking incident, a 60-year-old man killed his wife by setting her on fire inside her car on a public road in Chemmamukku, Kollam, around 9 pm on Tuesday.
The victim has been identified as Anila (44) from Thazhuthala, while the accused, Padmarajan (60), surrendered to the Kollam East police shortly after committing the crime.
At the time of the incident, Anila was traveling with Sony (33), an employee at her bakery. Padmarajan intercepted their car near Krist Raj Higher Secondary School in Kollam using an Omni van.
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He poured petrol through the car window and set it ablaze. The car, along with Padmarajan’s van, was completely destroyed in the fire. Anila died on the spot, while Sony sustained minor burns and is undergoing treatment at Kollam District Hospital.
According to the police, Padmarajan admitted that he intended to kill his wife and another person he suspected of being her lover. Investigations revealed that Anila co-owned a bakery with a man named Aneesh near Sankar’s Hospital, which led to marital discord.
After a mediator intervened, Anila agreed to dissolve the partnership with Aneesh. Padmarajan agreed to pay Aneesh Rs 1.5 lakh by December 10 as compensation for his investment in the bakery.
However, Aneesh’s continued visits to the bakery reportedly enraged Padmarajan, who assumed Aneesh was traveling with Anila in the car. Acting on this suspicion, he intercepted the car and carried out the attack.
Police reports suggest the murder stemmed from a prolonged family dispute. Anila, who was Padmarajan’s second wife, had not returned home for six days before the incident. The couple also has a school-going child.
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