Chennai: Constable suspect in missing man’s death

CHENNAI: Four days after a 24-year-old man went missing, the Chengalapattu police retrieved a charred body and suspect it to be that of Ravi who went missing on June 1.Ravi, a resident of Vijayaraghavapuram in K K Nagar, was allegedly killed and set on fire by his neighbour Senthil Kumar, a head constable attached to Sembium police station. Ravi had frequent run-ins with Senthil Kumar, who has not reported to work since Ravi went missing. Aishwarya, Ravi’s wife, had filed a habeas corpus petition at the High Court after Ravi went missing.

According to Aishwarya, it was Senthil Kumar who picked up Ravi along with a few other men on June 1. “They had informed her that Ravi was being taken to Koyambedu police station for an inquiry. However, Ravi has not returned since,” said a senior police officer.

Police detained Senthil Kumar’s live-in partner and are trying to find out whether Senthil Kumar had anything to do with Ravi going missing. Just a couple of days before Ravi went missing, Senthil Kumar and his partner had shifted to Ambattur, said the police.

Meanwhile on June 4, a charred body was found along the Chennai-Tiruchy National Highway near Padalam in Chengalpattu district. The body was laid over a heap of dried coconut shells and set on fire with petrol, police said. The body to the Chengalpattu Government Hospital and information was passed on to K K Nagar police.

“The cell phone signal of Ravi and Senthil Kumar was last seen near Padalam,” said a police source. The case was transferred from K K Nagar police to Padalam police on Friday night since the crime scene is in Chengalpattu.