Salem police crack mystery behind murder of woman whose chopped body parts were found in water tanks

With the arrest of three persons including a young woman, the Salem City Police has cracked the mystery behind the murder of a 52-year-old woman, Thangamani, whose chopped body parts were found in three gunny bags dumped insides overhead water tanks in a residential locality recently.

The crime had come to light when Ramesh, a resident of Gunapala Ramasamy Street in Arisipalayam, checked his overhead water tank after foul smell emanated from the tap water. He noticed a gunny bag inside. On opening he was shocked to find woman’s body parts and immediately informed the Pallapatti Police Station. Two other gunny bag with chopped body parts were found in two more overhead water tanks including one on the terrace of an adjacent house.

The police registered a case and commenced an investigation. The investigation revealed the deceased was Thangamani, wife of Jeevanandam of Thadanur in Mettupatti, Salem. She had not returned home since August 28, 2026.

Following up on leads, the police arrested N. Nandhini, 27, of Veeranam, M. Malik Basha, 29, of Alagapuram, and K. Sivaram, 29, of Kuranguchavadi, and interrogated them.

The police, in a press release issued on Tuesday night said, the investigation revealed Nandhini and Malik Basha had been in a relationship for the past five years. As they were in need of money, the two had allegedly planned to murder Thangamani, whom Nandhini knew, to steal four sovereigns of gold jewellery, with the assistance of Basha’s friend Sivaram.

Police said Nandini asked Thangamani to come on the pretext of arranging domestic work for her. On August 28, Nandhini took her to the house of her aunt, Prabhavathi. On the terrace of the house, Nandhini and Malik Basha allegedly attacked Thangamani on the head with a wooden log and murdered her.

They stole the jewellery worn by Thangamani and, along with Sivaram, cut her body into pieces. They then placed the body parts in gunny bags, tied them and concealed them in three water tanks in nearby multi-storeyed houses, the police said.