COIMBATORE: An unidentified man posing as a woman dressed in a burqa, tied up a woman inside her house on Wednesday noon and decamped with gold jewellery and some cash.
Police said that the victim S Vahitha (34) resident of Kuniyamuthur, was alone at home when she heard someone at the door. When she answered, she saw a person dressed in a burqa and asked him what he wanted. But the man pushed Vahitha and entered the house. Vahitha is said to have fought back and bit the man on his arm, but the intruder overpowered her and tied her to a chair with a rope and gagged her with a piece of cloth.
He then turned up the volume of the television set and began searching the house. Kuniyamuthur police told Express that Vahitha and her family were in the process of buying a property for a sum of `5 lakhs. The man, who is believed to have known this, had come to the house expecting to find the money meant for purchase of the property.
“He entered the house by 12.45 pm and searched the house for two hours, but was unable to find the money,” Kuniyamuthur police told Express.
Police said that the man threatened Vahitha and managed to get the keys of a locker and cupboard, but there was no money.
He then snatched a 6.75 sovereign gold chain which Vahitha was wearing and also took away `45,000 in cash which was kept elsewhere inside the house. He is then reported to have taken some chilly powder from the kitchen and sprinkled it on the veranda to prevent sniffer dogs trace his scent.
Vahitha was rescued later in the evening and a complaint was lodged with the Kuniyamuthur police. Special teams have been formed to trace the suspect.