CHENNAI: Two elderly women were found dead in a stone quarry pond at Thuthanoor near Ilampillai in Salem district on Sunday morning, with their jewellery missing.

The deceased were identified as Paavayi (70), a daily wage farm worker from the Kattuvazhavu area, and Periyamma (75), a shepherd from the same locality.

According to police, both women had left their homes around 9 am on Sunday, but did not return. Residents noticed a body floating on a water-filled stone quarry pond at Thuthanoor.

They alerted the families and informed the Magudanchavadi police station. After recovering the bodies, police found that the jewellery worn by the two women was missing. After preliminary inquiries, police are investigating whether the women were murdered for their jewellery.