A 35-year-old Dalit woman, T. Yamuna, died on Wednesday at Chengalpattu Government Medical College Hospital after suffering 85% burn injuries. She was suspected by her husband’s family of stealing 39 sovereigns of gold jewellery.
Yamuna, originally from Nagapattinam district, had married S. Thennarasu, 42, last year in June 2024. Thennarasu runs a pharmacy in Chengam town and has two married sisters, K. Vijaya and B. Kumarai.
The couple lived in Vijaya’s house in Sathanur village. About a month ago, Vijaya reported that 39 sovereigns of gold jewellery were missing from her cupboard. Suspicion fell on Yamuna, and despite family searches, the jewellery was not found.
The suspicion increased when the couple moved to Kumari’s house in Sorpanandal village a week ago.
On Tuesday evening (July 8), while Kumari was cooking dinner, Yamuna said she would go for a walk on the terrace. Later, family members found her badly injured and rushed her to the hospital. Doctors first treated her in Tiruvannamalai and then referred her to Chengalpattu hospital, where she passed away early Wednesday morning.
Yamuna’s younger brother, G. Dinakaran, filed a complaint, and police have registered a case. An inquiry led by S. Rajkumar, Revenue Divisional Officer of Tiruvannamalai, has started, as the victim was married just a year ago.
Police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding her death.
