Coimbatore: Man held for murdering friend

COIMBATORE: The Kovilpalayam police arrested a 42-year-old man on Wednesday for murdering a family friend.
Police identified the arrested man as C Karthikeyan of Thanjavur district and the deceased as J Jagan, 31, of Manathidal in Thanjavur district.
Police said Karthikeyan, an employee of a motor manufacturing unit at Ganapathy, was living with his wife and children at Textool Nagar in Viswashapuram. His wife Prema works at an anganwadi centre in Vilankurichi.
“Prema and Jagan became friends five years ago on Facebook. Last year, Jagan visited Prema and her family at their residence in Viswashapuram. Karthikeyan helped him get a job at his workplace. The couple also let him stay in their residence,” a police officer said.
After sometime, Jagan got a passport to get a job abroad. “He gave the passport to Prema for safekeeping. A few weeks ago, he asked for his passport. Prema said she lost it. Subsequently, they fought over this and Jagan left for his hometown. He came back three days ago. On Wednesday afternoon, Jagan and Karthikeyan picked up a quarrel, during which Karthikeyan fatally attacked Jagan with an iron rod,” the officer added.
Though the couple tried to escape with their children, police found them at the Singanallur bus stand and arrested Karthikeyan. Police booked him under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code.