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The Chennai police on Monday, June 8, recovered the severed head and other body parts of an Assam man whose torso was found inside an abandoned suitcase at Perambur Railway Station last week.
According to reports, the victim, identified as 35-year-old Ameer Ali, was allegedly murdered and dismembered by his wife, Ruheema, and her associate, Ashraf Ali, both natives of Assam.
The severed head was recovered from Kolavai Lake in Chengalpattu district, while the victim’s arms and legs were found in the Buckingham Canal near Teynampet.
The case came to light on June 5, when Railway Protection Force personnel found a blue suitcase emitting a foul smell near a staircase on Platform 4 of Perambur Railway Station.
On opening the suitcase, they discovered a decomposed male torso. Investigators suspected that the murder had taken place elsewhere, as there were no signs of bloodshed at the station.
According to the police, a crucial breakthrough came from a pair of trousers found on the body. Investigators traced a barcode on the garment to a clothing store in T Nagar and obtained the purchaser’s mobile phone number.
Analysis of call records and location data revealed frequent movements between T Nagar and Teynampet.
During the investigation, police also recovered a medical waste bag and plastic covers near the suitcase.
The materials were traced to private hospitals in Chennai, including one in Teynampet and another in Taramani.
CCTV footage and inquiries with hospital staff led investigators to Ruheema (30), who worked as a facilitator, helping patients from Assam and West Bengal travel to Chennai for treatment and accommodation.
Police further analysed app-based transport records and CCTV footage from multiple locations.
Investigators tracked a Rapido autorickshaw trip linked to the disposal of the suitcase and eventually identified the residence of the suspects in a Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB) tenement in Teynampet.
During interrogation, Ruheema and Ashraf (36), her associate, allegedly confessed to killing Ameer Ali. All three worked as facilitators assisting patients from northeastern states seeking medical treatment in Chennai.
Ruheema had been upset over her husband's alleged relationship with another woman. The couple had reportedly been involved in frequent disputes, and she alleged that Ameer had physically assaulted her.
According to investigators, the accused mixed sedatives into Ameer Ali’s food or milk on June 2. After he lost consciousness, they allegedly slit his throat, dismembered his body inside their residence, and disposed of the remains at different locations across Chennai and neighbouring Chengalpattu district.
Police said the torso was placed inside a suitcase and abandoned at Perambur Railway Station, while the severed head was dumped in Kolavai Lake. The remaining body parts were allegedly thrown into the Buckingham Canal near the accused’s residence.
The two accused have been arrested and remain in police custody.
