KOCHI: An elderly woman was found dead at her residence in Kallad, near Kothamangalam, on Monday. Saramma, 71, wife of late Elias, was found lying unconscious with a severe head injury in the bedroom, an officer with Kothamangalam police said.
“A gold ornament she was wearing is missing. We found turmeric powder sprinkled around the house,” the officer said. Saramma’s son is on the governing board of a private educational institution in Chellad and her daughter-in-law is a teacher at the same institution. The incident came to light when the daughter-in-law returned home from school at 3.30pm.
On receiving information, officers reached the house and started an investigation. “Our preliminary assumption is that she was murdered. The postmortem will confirm this. A forensic team, fingerprint experts and a dog squad have examined the crime scene,” an officer said. Police are examining the CCTV cameras of nearby residents. Saramma was last seen by neighbours outside her house around 1pm. Officers assume the death occurred between 1.30pm and 3.30pm. They are also collecting details about any person seen in the area in a suspicious manner.
Kothamangalam MLA Antony John reached the house and spoke to Saramma’s relatives and probing officers. The body will be handed over to relatives after postmortem on Tuesday.