Coimbatore police have arrested Sharadha Shanmugam, 32, from the Maniyakarampalayam area in connection with the murder of Dubai-based travel agent D Sigamani, 47. The victim’s body was discovered dumped in Karur district after he went missing in late April.
Sharadha, who worked as a receptionist in Dubai, was reportedly in an affair with Sigamani, who was married and running a travel firm in Dubai. His wife, Priya, was aware of the relationship and had asked him to end it.
The police investigation revealed that Sharadha gave Rs 5 lakh to Sigamani, which he spent. When she demanded repayment, Sigamani allegedly assaulted her. Sharadha confided in her stepfather, Thiyagarajan, who had a violent past, including a 2018 murder case where he killed Sharadha’s husband.
Sharadha, along with her mother Gomathi, stepfather Thiyagarajan, elder sister S Neela, relative M Swathi, and henchman G Puthiyavan alias Kutti Thangam, murdered Sigamani on April 25. The body was dumped in Karur the same day. Sharadha had returned to Dubai from Trichy airport shortly after.
Police tracked and arrested Sharadha in Coimbatore after her return to India on April 30, following a missing person complaint filed by Priya. The case is now under the Saravanampatti police investigation wing. Authorities also seized a car and sleeping pills from Sharadha’s residence during the arrest.
