Rejected V-Day gift led to killing of girlfriend

CHENNAI: It was a love story that turned tragic, as the man, who murdered his girlfriend at Teynampet on Friday, was a dejected lover who could not face rejection in his relationship. Police said Mani (22) stabbed his teenage girlfriend Sangeetha (18) of Kodambakkam High Road to death on Friday night when she returned home from the store where she was working. Mani was later arrested by Teynampet police when he was standing at the Valluvar Kottam bus stop.Mani and his brother Perumal were living in the rented house where college student Sangeetha was also residing. The girl was studying first year BSc Botany and was working part time in a fancy store near her house.Police sources said Mani had given a statement to the police recalling his five-year-old relationship. Sources said Mani, of Cuddalore had come to Chennai a few years ago to make a living. While he worked as a master in a biryani shop, his brother worked in a tea stall. They both stayed in a rented house for Rs 800 a month. It was there he met a fellow tenant Sangeetha, who lived for a rent of Rs 3,000 and both fell in love with each other, alleged Mani according to police sources. However, in the last few days, the girl avoided him and had stopped talking to him as well. Mani told police that he had even bought her a gift for Valentine’s Day which she refused to accept and asked him not to talk to her anymore. An upset Mani confronted the girl on Friday night at around 9.30 pm when she refused to speak to him. He took out a knife and stabbed her on the left side of her chest. She died while being taken to a hospital.Police sources also said that the girl’s father had become suspicious after noticing Mani talking to his daughter often. She had allegedly told him that she was not in a relationship, which had pacified him.