Ex-lover, family arrested for murder of travel agent

By Sagaya Fernando | May 06, 2025

 

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Coimbatore, India – In a chilling case of betrayal and premeditated murder, a Dubai-based travel agency owner was lured back to India by his former lover and killed with the help of her family, including her stepfather — a convicted murderer currently out on bail.

The victim has been identified as D Sigamani, 47, a native of Tiruvarur district in Tamil Nadu, who ran a travel agency in Dubai. His murder has sent shockwaves through both Indian and Gulf-based expatriate communities after details emerged of a carefully orchestrated plan by his ex-partner Saradha Shanmughan, 32, and her stepfather T. Thiyagarajan, 69, a man already convicted in a prior murder case involving Saradha’s late husband in 2018.

The Deadly Plot

According to investigating officers, Saradha, who had previously lived and worked in Dubai, developed a close relationship with Sigamani. However, their relationship soured following alleged financial disputes. When her attempts to recover money reportedly lent to him failed, Saradha returned to India on April 20, allegedly determined to take revenge.

She informed Thiyagarajan of her grievances. The two — along with Saradha’s mother Gomathi, sister Neela, and two others — planned the murder. On April 22, Sigamani arrived in Coimbatore allegedly to meet Saradha. Unbeknownst to him, the trap had already been set.

On April 24, he was served a meal laced with sedatives at a rented property in Koyathur. Once incapacitated, Sigamani was strangled to death. His body was transported the following morning by Thiyagarajan and a hired killer, identified as Kutty Thangam alias Puthiyavan from Tirunelveli, to a remote area in K Paramathi, Karur district, and dumped in an isolated spot.

With no identification on the body, Karur police recorded it as an unclaimed corpse, conducted a postmortem, and buried it — unaware of the murder that had transpired.

The Investigation Unfolds

When Sigamani’s wife Priya in Tamil Nadu could not reach him, she contacted his office in Dubai and was informed that he had flown to Coimbatore. Growing suspicious, she lodged a missing person complaint with the Peelamedu Police on April 28.

As the investigation progressed, Thiyagarajan, realizing the noose was tightening, surrendered before the Judicial Magistrate-II court in Coimbatore on April 30. His confession led to the case being reclassified as murder. The police subsequently arrested Saradha, Gomathi, Neela, Puthiyavan, and another woman from Erode who allegedly assisted in the crime.

The final arrest was made when Saradha, who had fled back to Dubai on April 25, returned to India through Chennai Airport on April 30. She was found hiding at a relative’s house in Maniyakaranpalayam near Coimbatore and was promptly taken into custody.

Shocking Criminal History

Authorities have confirmed that Thiyagarajan was already a life convict for murdering Gunavel, Saradha’s husband, in 2018. He had been released on bail pending appeal before the Madras High Court — a detail that has now raised serious questions about bail monitoring in cases involving habitual offenders.

All six accused have been remanded to judicial custody. Police have obtained court permission to exhume Sigamani’s body for further forensic analysis and are continuing investigations into the broader conspiracy, including financial motives and communication trails.

The brutal murder has underscored the need for vigilance around returning expatriates, especially when personal and financial disputes are unresolved.