Murder for Hire: Man Working in the U.S. Accused of Hiring Goons to Kill Estranged Wife in India

On May 21 when, V. Jayabharathi (28), a postal employee at Thappalampuliyur, and a resident of Kidaramkondan in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruvarur district, was returning home after her shift on a two-wheeler, became a victim of a horrific hit-and-run.

A van coming from the opposite direction hit her two-wheeler at the Kadavaiyaru Bridge, according to The Indian Express. Jayabharathi was left bleeding on the road and the vehicle fled. Passersby found her and rushed her to the Tiruvarur Government Hospital, where she later succumbed to her injuries. 

However, it was later learned that this was not an incident of road rage — but a premeditated murder by Jayabharati’s husband who lives in the U.S., police said, according to a report in the Indian Express

Meanwhile, Jayabarathi’s family suspecting foul play lodged a complaint with the Thiruvarur taluk police station, the Indian Express reported. Based on the complaint, Superintendent of Police A. Kayalvizhi ordered a special team to probe into the case. 

The case was converted into death under suspicious circumstances after Jayabharathi’s father, Chidambaram, lodged a complaint with police citing family issues faced by his daughter. In his complaint, he said his daughter was living with him after a misunderstanding with her husband, who worked abroad.

After a detailed investigation, the team found that Jayabharathi’s husband, Vishnuprakash, who is currently employed in the U.S. had conspired to murder his wife and hired a local gang to commit the dastardly act.

According to the police, Jayabharati was married Vishnuprakash in 2015. For the past five years, Vishnuprakash has been working for an IT company in the United States. Jayanbharathi was living in America with her husband. But after a rift between the two, she returned to India and took up a temporary job at the post office. Back home, well-meaning relatives of the two tried to reconcile the couple. But to no avail. Finally, Jayabharathi issued a divorce notice to her husband.

Afraid of paying alimony, an agitated Vishnuprakash had threatened Jayabarathi and her family and then allegedly devised the murder plan, as reported by the Indian Express.

Afraid of paying alimony, an agitated Vishnuprakash had threatened Jayabarathi and her family and then allegedly devised the murder plan.

Based on the information gathered and the victim’s father, the Tiruvarur police began probing the incident. Three special teams collected CCTV footage, analyze call-record details and examine witness.

The police said it was gleaned from the CCTV footage that the same truck that hit the victim had followed her previously. The police found out that the truck originally belonged to Senthil Kumar, who had later sold the vehicle. 

“We gathered the CCTV footage from her house till the accident spot. We noticed that the same truck that caused the accident followed her previously. We gathered the information and found that the truck belongs to one Senthikumar (40). When we enquired him, he said he did not have any idea about the accident and he had sold the truck. We then investigated and found it was a person named Jegan (37) who had brought the truck alongside his other associates Prasanna (34) and Raja (45). When we questioned them, they gave contradictory versions of the incident. We connected the dots and found out another Senthilkumar who is married to Vishnuprakash’s sister, has executed the act. We also came to know that even the truck owner Senthilkumar was involved in this incident and the whole process of buying and selling the truck was drama. Senthilkumar had received instruction from his brother-in-law and has hatched the murder using these men,” SP Kayalvizhi told the Indian Express.

The police intercepted the entire gang and a case was registered under relevant sections of the IPC. The police have arrested the gang, who were identified as R. Prasanna (24) of Patteeswaram, E. Senthil Kumar (40), of Pavithramanickam, C. Raja (47) from Kudavasal and J. Jegan (37) of Kudavasa in Tiruvarur. 

“Vishnuprakash’s brother-in-law Senthikumar tested positive for Covid-19 and is under treatment. He will also be arrested once he recovers from the virus. We have informed the Indian embassy in the U.S. and the main accused Vishnuprakash will be brought here soon,” SP A Kayalvizhi told the Indian Express.