COIMBATORE: According to rural police, the triple murders in Karamadai were committed by an alcoholic, K Sridhar(21), in a fit of rage and desperation for alcohol. The three victims were found with their throat slit within a distance of 100m, on March 28.

"The accused often stole money from pavement dwellers in the locality to buy liquor. He was very aggressive and abusive after consuming alcohol, according to his family," said E S Uma, Superintendent of Police, Coimbatore district.

Police said, Sridhar, the prime accused in the Karamadai triple murder case, was arrested on Monday. He was produced before Mettupalayam judicial magistrate court and was remanded to judicial custody for 15 days. His brother-in-law and co-accused Anand, 24, from Odanthurai in Mettupalayam is still absconding. Two special teams have been formed to nab him.

Police said, Sridhar, a construction worker from Vadavalli in Coimbatore resided with his wife Vaishnavi, 21 at Karamadai. He was a habitual drunkard and worked only three days a week. His wife Vaishnavi delivered a girl baby, fifteen days ago.

On 27 March, his brother-in-law Anand came to his house to see the new baby. On the same day night, the two had bought liquor and were consuming it near a railway track where they found N Velusamy, a realtor from Chellappanur near Karamadai.

Police said, the duo waylaid Velusamy and demanded money from him. Desperate for money to buy more alcohol, Sridhar stabbed Velusamy on his neck and abdomen. The stole his gold ornaments and cash and fled.

"After the first murder, the duo had gone to Sridhar's house. Anand was heavily inebriated and was lying in front of Sridhar's house. Sridhar attempted to break into a petty shop but a private security guard had spotted him and raised an alarm. Sridhar attacked the guard and managed to escape. When K Mariappan alias Ramesh attempted to stop him, he murdered the latter also," said Uma.

Sridhar murdered a construction worker M Sekar, 32, from Kadathur in Dharmapuri at a construction site in Karamadai. After the murder, he had gone to his parent's house in Vadavalli. On Sunday, he surrendered before Karamadai village administrative officer and was later handed over to police.

