A 16-year-old girl was brutally murdered by a dejected lover in Kunnathur in nearby Tirupur district, early in the morning today.

Anandan (23), a painter by profession, was in love with the girl, Purani, studying in Class X. But she had spurned his advances. When her parents came to know about it, they sent her away to her grandmother’s house a year ago.

Purani came to Kunnathur to celebrate the New Year with her parents, two days ago. Anandan approached her once again when he saw her standing alone outside her house around 1 AM. Her parents were fast asleep inside the house. Purani once again turned his love down.

Angered, Anandan pulled out a knife, stabbed her in the throat and ran away. He went to his house and attempted to commit suicide by slashing his throat, but his parents rushed him to the hospital in Gobichettipalayam. He was then referred to the Salem Government Hospital, where he is out of danger and recovering now.

Meanwhile, Purani’s parents noticed her lifeless body outside their house only in the morning and called the police. The cops have recovered the body and have sent it for postmortem. Further investigations are on.