Arranged marriage murder: Senthill Arumugam sentenced to life in jail for killing Brisbane-based student

When a Brisbane-based student expressed concerns about an arranged marriage her family had agreed to, she decided to start another relationship, but months later, she was stabbed to death in a frenzied and brutal knife attack. Her killer was sentenced today.

A MAN who murdered a Singaporean student, 27, whom he had met through an arranged marriage website, in a frenzied and brutal knife attack, has been jailed for life.

Justice David Boddice said Senthill Arumugam came from South Africa to Australia with the intention of killing Meena Narayanan if she would not proceed with the arranged marriage.

Ms Narayanan’s throat was slit and she had 32 stab wounds, but Arumugam also stabbed himself and pretended the couple had had a suicide pact.

Singaporean student stabbed to death in Brisbane hotel

“Your conduct on the day in question was planned and consistent,” Justice Boddice said.

“The frenzied attack was ferocious. Your intent in taking the life of the deceased involved brutality beyond comprehension.”

Justice Boddice said there was no doubt Arumugam got Ms Narayanan to come to his Brisbane motel room that day so he could intentionally take her life.

“Your motivation was anger and jealousy and her continuation of a relationship with someone other than yourself,” Justice Boddice said.

Arumugam, 36, today pleaded guilty to the murder of Ms Narayanan at Upper Mt Gravatt on March 24, 2014.

The Supreme Court heard that Arumugam met Ms Narayanan, who was living in Australia on a student visa, in November, 2013.

Their two extended families met in January, 2014, and the couple intended to marry, the court heard.

Meena Narayanan expressed concerns about the arranged marriage.

Before Arumugam came to Australia, Ms Narayanan expressed reservations about the relationship and began another relationship.

Crown prosecutor David Nardone said Arumugam had said he would kill himself if Ms Narayanan would not marry him.

Mr Nardone said before travelling to Australia on March 21, 2014, he told an associate Ms Narayanan had been cheating on him and asked where he could buy an unregistered firearm.

He said if he could not have her, nobody else would.

Mr Nardone said when Arumugam found out he would not be able to bring a firearm into Australia he said he would buy a knife and slit Ms Narayanan’s throat if she had cheated on him.

“When you arrived in Australia, you did exactly what you said you were going to do,” Justice Boddice said to Arumugam during the sentence.

After checking into the Travelodge at Upper Mt Gravatt, Arumugam expressed his frustration with Ms Narayanan to a stranger, Mr Nardone said.

Meena Narayanan was found dead in a motel room at Mt. Gravatt.

On the night of the murder, motel guests heard banging and a woman screaming and

at 12.10am, on March 25, Arumugam called reception, saying he was bleeding and his girlfriend was dead.

When police arrived they found Arumugam lying next to Ms Narayanan’s body.

“You admitted to stabbing her, but falsely claimed to police that she had asked you to help her to die,” the judge said.

Police found two bloody knives at the scene and a receipt for one of them.

“Her throat had been slit and she had multiple wounds to other parts of her body,” Justice Boddice said.

“The wounds evidenced frantic attempts by the deceased to protect herself from what was a frenzied attack.

“She sustained 32 stab wounds. Her injuries were entirely inconsistent with your false claim of an agree suicide pact.”

Arumugam had self inflicted wounds and medical evidence showed he had carefully chosen the sites to ensure they were non life-threatening injuries.

Justice Boddice jailed Arumugam for life, but declared the 1725 days he had already spent in custody as time served on the life sentence.

Originally published as Arranged marriage murder: Senthill Arumugam sentenced to life in jail for killing Brisbane-based student