A 24-year-old IT professional was chained, slashed and burnt alive by her childhood friend, a trans person, on her birthday on the outskirts of Chennai, police said.
The victim, Nandini, was chained up and her wrists, feet and neck were slashed with a blade by her friend, Vetrimaran alias Pandi Maheshwari, before she was set on fire late on Saturday. The accused was arrested and sent to judicial custody.
Police said Vetrimaran was angry about Nandini drifting away from him and getting purportedly close to others. On the pretext of giving her a birthday surprise, he took Nandini to a secluded place and attacked her, they added.
Locals found the half-burnt body of Nandini and immediately informed the police. She was rushed to a nearby hospital but succumbed to her injuries.
According to the police, Nandini and her friend Vetrimaran alias Pandi Maheshwari were natives of Madurai and studied together till Class 10.
Both were working in an IT company in Thoraipakkam for the past eight months, police said.
