KARUR: Special police teams from Karur district police on Wednesday arrested three persons, including a woman, in connection with the murder of a 79-year-old woman on Sunday night.
The accused were identified as S Parthiban (24) of Tirunelveli, Pandi alias M Pandeeswaran (19) of Madurai and S Vanitha (24) of Karur. Vanitha’s husband Kombaiyan is still at large.
Sources said Thayar Ammal of Salaipatti was living alone after her husband Perumal died some years ago. When Thayar Ammal did not come out of her house on Monday, one of her neighbours went to check on her and found the woman dead. Her earrings and nose studs weighing 6 grams were also missing.
Three special police teams headed by inspectors of Karur town, Velliyanai and Thanthonimalai stations were set up to investigate. During the probe, police found a fingerprint from the crime scene matching with that of Parthiban.
The team arrested Parthiban in Tirunelveli on Wednesday, and based on his statement, nabbed Pandeeswaran in Chennai and Vanitha from Karur. Police said both the men have several criminal cases against them.
They were friends with Kombaiyan and decided to rob Thayar Ammal who lived near the latter’s house. The gang had barged into the woman’s house, tied her limbs, stuffed a towel into her mouth and fled with the ornaments. The woman died of suffocation, police said.
