KOLLAM: Crucial details have emerged in the incident of a husband hanging himself after hacking his wife to death on the road. The dead have been identified as Rajan (63) of Kottarakkara Neduvathoor Pullamala Kalluvila Thazhathil house and his wife Remavathi (58). Rajan had also cut off a hand of his sister-in-law, who resisted the attack.

The couple were estranged for quite some time. Remavathi had been living with her children Rajesh and Ramesh and Rajan was living alone at his family home. A case is pending with the Puthur police regarding their family issues. Following which, the police had barred Rajan from entering the house.

On Wednesday morning, Remavathi had gone out with her younger sister Rathi, who lives in Kurumbalur, for weekly chit collections of ESAF Bank. Rajan had jumped onto them with a sword, while they were collecting firewood from a nearby rubber plantation, on their way back.

Remavathi was stabbed six times in her neck, arms and legs. The cuts on both sides of the neck is considered to be the cause of death. Rathi was attacked while trying to stop him. The locals came to know of the incident after Rathi ran to the road screaming. Rathi was soon rushed to Kottarakkara Taluk Hospital and was later shifted to Thiruvananthapuram Medical College.

Rathi’s hand was found from the bushes during a search conducted by the Puthur police. It was taken to the Medical College Hospital but could not be stitched up due to time constraints. Rajan had fled the place after confirming Rema’s death. He was later found hanging at his family home amid an investigation by the police and the locals. Both the bodies were shifted to Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital for postmortem after the inquest.

Revenge of being tied up led to the murder

According to preliminary conclusion, Rajan had committed the murder in revenge of being tied up in the house by his wife’s relatives amid a conflict on the next day of his mother-in-law’s death. The couple was married 31 years ago. Ever since then, they had been at loggerheads. Rajan, who came home drunk, used to beat his wife regularly.

Two and a half years ago, Rajan was remanded in custody for allegedly beating up Remavathi’s sister’s daughter. Later, after being released on bail, he had been distant from his relatives. Lately, he began living alone at his family home. Rajan had gone to the funeral of Remavathi’s mother as well. However, he came drunk the next day, was tied up by his wife’ relatives and was handed over to the police. However, no case was registered against him. Officials hints that Rajan had committed the murder in revenge of the incident.