UK NRI beats nurse wife to death by hammer attack

Peterborough, Aug. 06, 2008
Sant Parkash Singh

Chitradevi Chandran, 26, nurse, of Midland Road, Peterborough, UK, arrived from Southern India just three months ago, who worked as an occupational therapist in Huntingdon, died last Monday after being attacked with a claw hammer at her home. She was taken to Peterborough District Hospital and later transferred to a specialist unit at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, in Cambridge, where she suffered severe head injuries and died..

Her husband, Anburaj Arjunan, 31, who has degrees in theology and engineering, was charged with attempted murder of his wife and also the attempted murder of his mother-in-law, 56, who was also seriously injured in the incident, had an operation to remove part of her skull to release pressure on her brain. She remains in hospital in a "serious but stable" condition.

Anburaj Arjunan will appear again at the court on October 31, when it is expected he will enter a plea.

Ms Chandran's brother who flew from India and said: "Chitra will be sadly missed by her family and friends after being taken from them in unforeseen circumstances."

Next door neighbour Patricia Toseland said, "We heard screams and shouting coming from the house on Saturday morning. We had to get out for the day as we couldn't believe what had happened. The drama unfolded at about 6.30am on Saturday when police officers, including some with dogs were called to the house after reports of an assault. Screams and loud noises could be heard coming from the house as three ambulances also arrived."

Chitradevi Chandran came from a Hindu family in Tamil Nadu but had apparently converted to Christianity. Her mother, who shared the house with her daughter and son-in-law.

A councillor and deputy mayor on the Peterborough Council, Mr. .Gul Nawaz, who lives only two doors away told local media, “I had met Anburaj Arjunan and seemed very educated, a very well spoken young man"