CHENNAI: A 75-year-old woman, S Muthalu, wife of daily wage labourer Saminathan, was found dead with a head injury inside her house on May 23, according to Melmaruvathur police. Believing that she had slipped and fallen inside the house, relatives held her funeral the next day. However, suspicion arose later when they found her five-sovereign gold chain and earrings to be missing, police said.
Based on a complaint lodged by her sons, Veeramani and Umapathi, Melmaruvathur police launched an investigation. Police found that Vasudevan (45), a TVK functionary who was known to spend time with the elderly woman near her house, had gone missing after the incident.
A special police team traced him to Hosur and secured him for questioning. During interrogation, Vasudevan allegedly confessed that he pushed Muthalu to the ground while snatching her jewellery, causing a fatal head injury. He also allegedly poured water on the floor to make it appear that she had died after slipping, police said. He was arrested and remanded on Thursday.
Following the confession, police and revenue officials exhumed Muthalu’s body the same day in the presence of villagers and conducted a postmortem examination. Further probe is under way.