Man hacks wife to death in Tirunelveli

Tirunelveli: A 24-year-old woman was hacked to death by her estranged husband at the Tirunelveli junction bus stand on Sunday morning.Police identified the deceased as Pechiammal, a resident of Shanmugapuram near Rajavallipuram, who separated from her husband Sudhakar, 29, two years ago. The couple, who have two children, faced frequent rifts before the separation.Subsequently, Pechiammal moved to her mother's residence at Melapalamadai and took up a job at a textile showroom to support her children. Sudhakar made several unsuccessful attempts to convince Pechiammal to reconcile. Harbouring a grudge over her refusal and fuelled by suspicion, Sudhakar followed her as she was on her way to work on Sunday morning, police said. Pechiammal alighted a bus at the Tirunelveli junction bus stand and sat at a passenger shelter while talking on her phone around 10.15am. At that time, Sudhakar confronted her and a heated argument ensued between them, police said. Enraged, Sudhakar pulled out a concealed sickle and repeatedly hacked Pechiammal on her neck, police said. Pechiammal died on the spot as panicked commuters fled the scene.Upon receiving information, a police team rushed to the spot, recovered the body, and sent it to Tirunelveli Govt Medical College Hospital for an autopsy. A case was registered. Meanwhile, Sudhakar surrendered to police.