In a suspected case that mimics honour killing though the attacker and victim belong to the SC community, but hail from different denominations, a man and his pregnant wife were murdered by an armed gang early on July 3.

Sources in the police said T. Solairaj, 24, a saltpan worker from Thanthai Periyar Nagar under Kulathur police station limits in the district, was in love with co-worker A. Jothi, 24, of nearby Pallaakulam. As they belonged to different groups of the Scheduled Caste, the girl’s parents opposed the affair. Despite the stiff resistance, Solairaj married Jothi three months ago in a temple reportedly with his family’s support.

After the marriage, the couple started their life in single-room house at Thanthai Periyar Nagar. As Solairaj’s mother preferred to sleep the night in the house of a relative nearby, the couple would stay in the small house.

As there was a power cut on July 2, the couple decided to sleep on the small courtyard in front of their house. An armed gang entered the courtyard in the small hours and attacked Solairaj and Jothi. When the girl tried to protect herself, her left wrist was chopped off.

Solairaj’s mother came to the house in the morning and saw the two lying in a pool of blood with multiple cuts on the neck and face.

Superintendent of Police Arun Balagopalan visited the spot and sent the bodies to the Thoothukudi Government Medical College Hospital for post-mortem.

Police suspect that Jothi’s family, which vehemently opposed her marriage with Solairaj, might be behind the murder.

Further investigations are on.