Rape, murder accused kills self in Puducherry prison

PUDUCHERRY: One of the accused, G Vivekanandan, 56, who was arrested on charges of kidnapping, sexually assaulting, and murdering a nine-year-old girl and dumping her body in a drain under the influence of alcohol and ganja, died by suicide at Puducherry central prison on Monday morning.
Police said the man, who attempted suicide twice earlier, ended his life by hanging in the restroom of the prison.
Police said on Monday morning, the accused requested a towel from the prison staff as he was feeling cold. The staff gave him a towel. A few minutes later, he reached the restroom and ended his life by hanging using the towel. The staff, on noticing that he did not step out for a long time, checked on him only to find him hanging.
He alerted the higher officials, who in turn informed Kalapet police.
A police team reached the spot, recovered the body, and sent it for autopsy to Indira Gandhi govt general hospital and postgraduate institute.
Vivekanandan and M Karunas alias Kakka, 19, were arrested in March this year on charges of kidnapping, sexually assaulting, and murdering a nine-year-old girl and dumping her body in a drain at Muthialpet in Puducherry.
The brutal crime shocked the entire nation, with leaders cutting across party lines demanding stringent action against the culprits and concrete efforts to curb the liquor and drug menace in the Union territory.
INDIA block and AIADMK organised a one-day strike on Mar 8 condemning All India NR Congress-BJP coalition govt for deterioration of law and order in the territory. The govt gave a solatium of 20 lakh to the victim's parents.