Family held for man's murder

The Ramamurthynagar police on Sunday arrested three people in connection with the death of a Union Bank employee. Suresh Babu, son of deceased Ankaiah, suspected foul play in his father’s death and filed a complaint with police. Upon exhuming the body of Ankaiah on February 12, police began interrogating members of his family.

Ankaiah’s wife Nagarathna, daughter Jhansi Rani and son-in-law Pandiyan “confessed” to murdering Ankaiah during the interrogation. Rajendar Prasad and Siraj, also accused in the case, are absconding. Efforts are on to nab them, police said.

According to police, Ankaiah was murdered over a property dispute. Ankaiah, in his will, had stated that his entire property would be inherited by his son Suresh. This upset his two daughters, who were not on good terms  with him. Nagarathna was furious when she learned of her husband’s will.

On February 28, Nagarathna, Jhansi and Pandiyan mixed sleeping pills with Ankaiah’s food. When he was sleeping, they smothered him with a pillow. Later, Nagarathna telephoned her relatives and told them that Ankaiah had died of a heart attack.