CHENNAI: A 24-year-old woman, a software engineer in Tamil Nadu, was slashed with a blade and burnt alive by her former classmate.

The accused, notably, underwent a sex-change operation to marry the dead woman.

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The horrific murder case has been reported from Thalambur near Kelambakkam, a quiet southern suburb of Chennai.

The woman, identified as R Nandhini, was killed on the eve of her birthday, police said.

According to reports, 26-year-old Vetrimaran alias Pandi Maheswari, under the guise of a birthday surprise, blindfolded Nandhini and subjected her to an unimaginable ordeal involving chains and petrol.

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“They were friends and were living together in Chennai. No indication yet of any sexual assault. Whether Vetrimaran had displayed violent tendencies earlier is not clear. An investigation is on,” Tambaram police Commissioner Amalraj told NDTV.

Having studied together in Madurai, Nandhini continued the friendship even after Vetrimaran underwent a sex-change operation.

Both of them had worked together in a private IT firm in Thoraipakkam, further intertwining their lives, police said.

According to the police, the motive behind this gruesome act seems to stem from Vetrimaran’s suspicion that Nandhini had developed an interest in others.