CHENNAI: An intruder murdered a home-alone 55-year-old woman for her gold jewellery in Uthukottai in Thiruvallur district on Friday. The police have arrested the accused in Chennai.
The arrested person was identified as S Venkatesan, an auto driver. He was a resident of the same neighbourhood as that of the deceased, S Saraswathi, the police said.
The police said that Saraswathi, a resident of Soolaimeni village, lived alone while her two sons worked in Chennai. Venkatesan, whose mother is a daily-wage worker, had known Saraswathi for several years and would occasionally help her with household work, police said.
The probe revealed that Venkatesan had asked Saraswathi to give him money to buy an auto rickshaw for himself, as he had been driving a rental vehicle.
As Saraswathi did not heed to his request, Venkatesan barged into the room and attacked her with an iron rod and then stole her 2.5-sovereign gold chain and earrings and escaped.
Saraswathi's younger son, who had come to visit his mother, found her dead and alerted the Uthukottai police.
After investigations, the police traced the accused to Koyambedu and secured him. He was produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.