MADURAI: Devadhanapatti police in Theni district have arrested a woman and her paramour in connection with the murder of her husband, a Mangalore-based engineer, which took place in the foothills of Kodaikanal recently. The duo, who have been absconding, were arrested from their hideout in Salem. The two had murdered the engineer who was employed abroad during a pleasure trip to Kodaikanal.
The body of the engineer, identified as Mohammed Samir, 32, was found at Pattaparai on September 18. The police, which initially could not trace the identity of the deceased, conducted an autopsy and buried the body. Meanwhile, the family members of the engineer, who grew suspicious of their missing daughter-in-law, approached the local police who in turn alerted the Tamil Nadu police.

The Devadhanapatti police swung into action after the parents reached the station and confirmed the identity of the body which was exhumed in the presence of the revenue officials. Sensing that the police were after them, Samir’s wife Firdous, 26, and her paramour, Mohammed Asif, 36, went hiding. Police said Firdous, mother of a three-month-old baby girl, developed a relationship with Mohammed Asif, a call taxi driver, when she frequently used his vehicle. Samir, who worked abroad, used to visit her once in six months. Police said that before going underground, Fridous took away money and jewellery from the house.

Inspector J Sugumaran told TOI that the duo were arrested late on Saturday night, produced before a judicial magistrate in Theni and lodged in prison. Investigation revealed that the Firdous, who decided to murder her husband, arranged a trip employing her paramour as driver. When they reached Salem, she gave her husband 20 sleeping tablets mixed with tender coconut water. But he did not die. They drove the vehicle to Dumdumparai, where he was murdered by slitting open his throat. After throwing the body from a cliff, they drove back to Chennai.