ERODE: The Bungalowpudur police have arrested a 59-year-old farmer on charges of murdering a 55-year-old woman in Anna Nagar, Bungalowpudur, near Gobichettipalayam, on Friday afternoon. The woman was electrocuted on the farmer’s leased agricultural land, and he later buried her body, fearing police action.
The accused has been identified as P. Periyasamy, a neighbour of the deceased, A. Jothimani.
According to sources, police registered a missing person complaint on 26 May after Jothimani’s son, A. Gowtham (30), reported that his mother had been missing since 17 May.
On that day, Jothimani told her family she was going to visit a relative’s grove nearby and would return soon. When she did not come back, Gowtham visited the relative’s house and found out that she had never arrived there. However, he was told that she had last spoken with Periyasamy.
When Gowtham questioned Periyasamy, he sensed something was wrong, as Periyasamy kept diverting the topic and told him to search in the neighbourhood. Growing suspicious, Gowtham went to Periyasamy’s farm and noticed a piece of his mother’s saree sticking out from freshly dug soil, as the burial was not done properly.
He immediately informed the police, who exhumed the body. During questioning, Periyasamy confessed that Jothimani had died from electrocution on his farm, and he buried her to avoid police trouble.
“Periyasamy had electrified the fence by drawing power from the motor pump’s outlet. Jothimani died after touching the fence. A post-mortem was done on Friday, and the body was handed over to her family,” said a police officer.
Police also revealed that Periyasamy had been arrested a few years ago by the forest department after a wild elephant died from electrocution on his farm.
He was arrested on Friday afternoon and has been remanded in custody at Gobichettipalayam prison.