Suspecting his wife of infidelity, Atish Naik (25) allegedly smothered his wife Tanuja Naik to death in his ancestral house at Gaunem-Ponda and was later arrested at Ponda KTC bus stand while returning from Belagavi on Tuesday morning.
Tanuja was a student of first year BA at Chowgule college Margaorrthe goan I networkrPONDAr rTanuja Naik (23) was found dead in her husband’s ancestral house at Gaunem on Monday night and police had suspected foul play after her husband could not be traced following the incident. rTanuja and Atish were staying in Raia and the couple had visited his ancestral house at Gaunem on Monday morning. Incidentally, Tanuja’s maternal house is also located close to Atish’s house in Raia. rSpeaking to media persons on Tuesday, Ponda DySP Sunita Sawant said Atish had confessed to the murder of Tanuja. r“Tanuja died due to compression of nose, mouth and throat,” said DySP Sawant. rAccording to DySP Sawant, Tanuja was a student of first year BA at Chowgule college in Margao. rThe accused was engaged with a catering service in Margao and both had married two years ago against the wishes of Tanuja’s family. rFamily members informed police that Tanuja had been found continuously conversing in English with some unknown person since she had begun attending classes and had even reached home late one night. rThis suspicion may have been a motive for the accused to have killed her, DySP Sawant said. rDySP Sawant said Atish allegedly smothered Tanuja to death with a pillow in his ancestral house at Gaunem and then used her lipstick to write ‘rest in peace’ and ‘love you’ on the pillow. rAfter committing the crime, Atish then fled to Belagavi, where he phoned his brother-in-law (sister’s husband) and confessed to the murder. rSources informed that the brother-in-law then persuaded Atish to surrender before the police and acting on the advice, Atish boarded a bus and returned to Ponda, where he was arrested by a Ponda police team. rPonda police has booked an offence of murder under Section 302 IPC against Atish and he was later remanded to eight days in police custody.
