Police today exhumed from a river bed the body of a pregnant woman, who was allegedly murdered by her relatives on March 17 here in a case of honour killing after she married a person belonging to another caste.
The 26-year-old woman's mother, brother and three uncles were arrested, police said, adding they were on the lookout for the hired killers who murdered her.
The couple had got married in August last, but soon surrendered to police. The parents were summoned to the police station and gave in writing that they were severing their relationship with their daughter for her act.
However, they adopted a conciliatory tone when she informed them some time later she was pregnant and wished to stay with them during delivery. On March 16, her husband brought his pregnant wife to her mother's home in Theni district and left.
Police said the parents and uncles then advised her not go to go back, but she refused, following which they hired a gang to do away with her.
On March 17, the woman was alone at home when two persons barged in, stabbed her to death, stuffed her body in a jute bag and buried it in the Vaigai river bed, they said.
Meanwhile, worried about his wife's whereabouts, her husband filed a petition before the Madras High Court, which ordered the woman be produced in court.
Investigation led to the arrest of one of the uncles, who confessed to how they had hatched the plot to murder her, following which the others were arrested.
The body was exhumed today.
