A 38-year-old man was arrested near Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu after he allegedly attacked his wife with a sharp weapon over suspicions of an extramarital affair and fled with their five-year-old son.
The accused, identified as P. Dharmaraj, a resident of Mayilpalayam in Pattukkottai, was taken into custody on Thursday following an extensive police search. His wife sustained critical injuries in the attack and is currently undergoing treatment at Thanjavur Medical College Hospital.
According to police, the couple had been married for six years. Investigators said that while the family was living in Trichy last year, Dharmaraj allegedly found his wife with another man in their house, leading to a serious dispute. The couple subsequently began living separately.
A few days ago, the couple reportedly reconciled and started living together again in Pattukkottai. However, on Wednesday, Dharmaraj allegedly attacked his wife at their residence with a sharp weapon.
After the assault, he fled with their five-year-old son and went into hiding. Police said he later uploaded multiple videos on Instagram, including an old clip allegedly showing his wife with another man. He also posted new videos in which he appeared covered in blood and spoke about ending his life and his son’s life.
The disturbing videos quickly spread on social media, triggering concern and prompting police to launch a large-scale search operation.
Acting on a tip-off, a special police team tracked down and arrested Dharmaraj near Thanjavur on Thursday evening. The child was rescued safely and placed in a children’s home.
Police have registered a case against the accused under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). He was produced before a magistrate and remanded to judicial custody in Thanjavur Sub Jail.
Further investigation is underway.
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