T. Nagar murder: 80-year-old woman killed, 12 sovereigns recovered
An 80-year-old woman was found dead under suspicious circumstances at her apartment in T. Nagar, Chennai, on Friday. The police have detained her domestic help and two men in connection with the incident. Twelve sovereigns of gold jewellery, allegedly stolen from the house, have been recovered from the accused.
The deceased has been identified as Radha, a resident of the second floor of an apartment complex on Kuppusamy Street. She had been living alone since her husband's death, according to the police. Her son Ramji lives in Besant Nagar with his family.
The sequence of events that led to the discovery began around 10 a.m. on Friday. The domestic help, Ammu, 31, approached a neighbour and expressed concern that Radha was not responding to repeated knocks on the door. The neighbour immediately called Ramji, who rushed to the apartment. Upon arrival, Ramji found the main door locked. After gaining entry, he saw his mother lying on the living room sofa with injuries to her face and neck. A pillow was found beside the body, suggesting the possibility of suffocation.
The police were informed, and a forensic team was deployed. Radha's body was sent to the Government Hospital in K.K. Nagar for postmortem examination. Investigators noted that a food order placed by Radha on Thursday evening had been delivered around 6.30 p.m. A CCTV camera installed inside the apartment was found to be non-functional, which could impact the investigation. However, the police obtained footage from a neighbouring building that allegedly shows two unidentified men entering and leaving the area during the suspected time of the crime. The police have also preserved the pillow found near the body as evidence.
During interrogation, the police found that Ammu had allegedly conspired with the two men to kill Radha and steal her jewellery. The two men, whose names have not been released, were detained, and the police recovered 12 sovereigns of gold jewellery from them. The police suspect that Radha was smothered with the pillow.
Investigators are now examining the call records of the domestic help and the two detained men to understand the planning behind the crime. They are also verifying whether the men had any previous criminal background and whether they were known to the victim. The police are in the process of reconstructing the timeline of events leading up to the incident. The food delivery personnel are also being traced to gather more details about the last known contact with the victim. Senior officers are monitoring the progress of the investigation.
The Pondy Bazaar police have registered a case and are investigating the case as murder. They have formed multiple teams to track any other persons who may be involved. The postmortem report is awaited to confirm the exact cause of death, and forensic analysis of the pillow and other items collected from the spot is being conducted. The accused are currently in custody for questioning. The identities of the two detained men are being verified, and the police have appealed to the public for any information about them.
