In a shocking turn of events, a 35-year-old pastor, Vimal Raj, based in Kancheepuram district, Tamil Nadu, was arrested on Tuesday for the alleged murder of his wife, Vaishali. The incident, which occurred on April 27, came to light after Vimal attempted to pass off his wife’s death as a natural occurrence and hurriedly arranged for her funeral without notifying her family.
According to the Thalambur police, Vimal Raj, who served as a pastor at a church in Ponmar, had been married to Vaishali, a native of Mumbai, for a couple of years. The couple had an 11-month-old daughter. However, their marital life was marred by discord, with Vimal reportedly demanding dowry and subjecting Vaishali to physical abuse. His dissatisfaction with the birth of a daughter exacerbated the situation, leading to frequent arguments between the couple.
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On April 28, following yet another heated argument, Vimal Raj allegedly smothered Vaishali to death with a pillow. He then concocted a story claiming that she had collapsed in their home and rushed her to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Subsequently, he made arrangements for her funeral in Ottiambakkam village, where his family resides.
However, Vaishali’s family, based in Mumbai, grew suspicious upon receiving the news of her sudden demise and swiftly lodged a complaint with the Tamil Nadu Director General of Police (DGP) to halt the funeral proceedings. They expressed concerns over the circumstances of her death, indicating a potential foul play.
Upon receiving the complaint, police intervened and halted the funeral, seizing the body for further investigation. Subsequent inquiries revealed inconsistencies in Vimal’s account of events, prompting him to confess to the murder during police interrogation. Consequently, he was arrested on April 30th, and Vaishali’s body was sent to Chengalpattu Government Hospital for a post-mortem examination.
Further investigations revealed that Vimal had allegedly attempted to expedite the funeral and cremation proceedings before all of Vaishali’s family members could arrive, raising suspicions about his intentions.
The pastor’s initial claims of innocence swiftly unravelled as he confessed to the heinous crime, leading to the case being reclassified as murder. The tragic incident has sent shockwaves through the local community.
