Vendor butchers wife, surrenders

SALEM: A 41-year-old man in blood soaked clothes benumbed several onlookers by walking a kilometre holding the severed head of his wife and surrendering at the Edapaddi police station in Salem on Thursday.The accused C Raja, a street vendor, of Paniyandi Street in Goundenpatti, confessed that he had beheaded his wife Saroja using a butcher’s knife suspecting her fidelity.In 2005, a 71-year old man Chinnappan had surrendered in Omalur holding his wife’s severed head.Raja told the police that a man from Erode used to frequent his home in his absence prompting neighbours to float rumours that Saroja was having an illicit affair.On Thursday, the man had again met Saroja sparking off a quarrel between the couple. Saroja threatened Raja that she would commit suicide and hold him accountable. Angered by this he severed her head with a butcher’s knife (he used to sell pork during weekends) and later surrendered.