CHENNAI: Five including a woman and her lover were arrested in the case of murdering her husband at Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu. The dead is Prabhu (30), a flower seller. Prabhu's wife Vinodini (26), her lover Bharti (23), friends Ruben Babu, Diwakar and Sharwan were those arrested. Prabhu questioning Vinodini's illicit relationship led to the murder. The couple have a daughter and a son.

Vinodini, who gave sleeping pills to Prabhu, strangled him with the help of her lover and friends. Though there was an attempt to cremate the body near the Tiruchirappalli-Madura highway, it failed due to rain. The body was then cut into two pieces and dumped in the Kaveri and Kollidam rivers. Police said further investigation is going on in the case.

The incident happened on November 4. The incident came to light on November 5 when his brother came home to meet Prabhu. Vinodini told Prabhu's brother that her husband had not returned home. His brother then went to the market in search of him. However, after not seeing him there, he filed a complaint with the Samayapuram police. The police during investigation found that Vinodini had an affair with Bharti and had planned to kill Prabhu.

Vinodini and Bharti had rented a house near Sandhya Gate three months ago. Prabhu knew this. He asked Vinodini to severe ties with Bharti and following that a verbal dispute broke out between the two. Prabhu then shifted to another house.

Vinodini, who gave Prabhu sleeping pills in the name of medicine on November 4, strangled him along with Bharti. Bharti then called his friends Reuben Babu, Diwakar and Sharwan and planned to cremate the body near the Tiruchirappalli-Madura highway. However, due to the rain, they could not succeed. With this, the body was cut into two pieces and dumped in the Kaveri River and remaining parts in the Kollidam River, the police said.