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After Meenatchi (name changed), a Class 12 student, hanged self in her house on October 4, her parents cremated the body without informing the police, claiming that she died of ill health. They were reportedly under the impression their daughter could have ended her life unable to concentrate on studies through online classes.

But it changed when a woman from Sri Lanka called the Meenatchi’s phone. Shocked that Meenatchi was no more, she informed the parents that the girl must have killed herself because of Dheeran, an AC mechanic from the same village.

Officials said Dheeran was in a relationship with the Lankan woman and used to visit her every year. “However, in February, Dheeran snapped that relationship after befriending the girl. He had called the Lankan woman from the girl’s phone once, so she knew the victim. She had advised Meenatchi not to trust Dheeran,” said inspector Surendra Kumar.

Based on the information the woman provided, Meenatchi’s parents checked her WhatsApp and found that Dheeran used to continuously harassed by asking her to send photos her with wrist cut and consuming pesticide. The girl had told him that she was going to end her life.

The parents submitted a petition to Tiruvallur SP Aravindhan P, following which a case was registered and Dheeran was arrested when he returned from Chennai. Officials said he had befriended many women on Facebook and cheated them of money.

He was booked under Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act and Pocso Act, and remanded in judicial custody. Police said the deceased’s father was also arrested for cremating the girl’s body without informing police but was let off on bail.