SALEM: Four days after the bodies of two elderly women were found floating in an abandoned stone quarry near Magudanchavadi, police on Friday shot and arrested a 55-year-old man suspected of murdering them for gain.
The accused, C Ayyanar of Kamalapuram in Omalur, was secured near Orukkamalai in Sangagiri taluk after he allegedly attacked a police officer while resisting arrest. The victims — Periyammal (74), wife of Annamalai, and Paavayi (70), wife of Marimuthu, both from Edaganasalai in Sangagiri taluk — went missing on November 3 after going out to graze their goats.
The following day, their bodies were found floating in a quarry near Magudanchavadi. Police noted that their gold earrings and silver bracelets were missing, pointing to murder for gain.
During the investigation, police identified Ayyanar, who had been living near the quarry but went missing soon after the incident. His aide, when questioned, allegedly confessed that Ayyanar had murdered the women and stolen their ornaments.
Acting on a tip-off, a team from Magudanchavadi police located him early on Friday. When officers tried to apprehend him, Ayyanar reportedly attacked sub-inspector G Kannan with a knife, injuring his hand. Inspector M Senthil Kumar then shot Ayyanar in the right leg to prevent further attack.
Both were taken to hospital — Kannan to the Sangagiri Government Hospital and Ayyanar to the Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital in Salem.
Police said Ayyanar is a known history-sheeter with five previous murder cases registered in Omalur — three in 2000 and two in 2004. He was convicted in one case and sentenced to life imprisonment before being released in 2018.
Police have recovered photographs and other belongings of Ayyanar from his residence near the quarry and are verifying whether he was involved in any other crimes in the area. A case has been registered, and further investigation is under way.