Two days after S. Ramya, a 23-year-old teacher, was stabbed to death by a 24-year-old man, who had been stalking her for over a year, the accused, K. Rajasekar, was found hanging from a tree in a cashew orchard in Thoppayankulam near Thirunavalur in Villupuram district on Sunday.
According to the police, the accused, who had professed his love to Ramya, entered the classroom and attacked her with a knife.
It was Shanthi, a sanitary worker, who saw the victim lying in a pool of blood and alerted the school correspondent, V. Rangarajan, who was on the first floor.
On being informed, the police rushed to the spot and sent the body for post-mortem to the Kurunjipadi Government Hospital.
Rajasekar had been absconding after the incident and the police were trying to nab him based on CCTV footage from cameras installed at two places near the school.
Police sources said Rajasekar had last called his sister on Friday evening and threatened that he was going to commit suicide before switching off his mobile phone. On Sunday, locals in Thoppayankulam alerted the Thirunavalur police about a bike parked near the cashew orchard.
A police team rushed to the orchard and found Rajasekar hanging from a tree. The body was retrieved and sent for post-mortem. Further investigations are on. Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State’s health helpline 104 and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050.