PUDUCHERRY: Police have arrested a couple in connection with the murder of a woman in Lawspet. Probe revealed that they committed the crime to escape mounting debt.
The deceased, identified as Ramani (42), is the wife of Mani (48), of Karuvadikuppam, Lawspet. They run a hotel nearby. On Thursday morning, Mani found Ramani lying in a pool of blood inside their house. Her four-sovereign thali chain and one earring were missing. Lawspet police rushed to the spot, recovered the body and launched an investigation.
Probe found that Praveen (25) of Muthialpet, a friend of Ramani's nephew, visited the hotel regularly and had become acquainted with her. Through him, his wife Easwari (21) had also become a frequent visitor to Ramani's house. Police questioned them, and during sustained interrogation, both allegedly confessed to murdering Ramani.
The couple lived in Navarkulam. Praveen worked as a food delivery executive and came into contact with Ramani's through her nephew.
Praveen had allegedly borrowed money from several people and was under pressure from creditors, and Ramani and her family had been helping the couple.
In such a backdrop, they learnt that Ramani kept jewellery at her house and allegedly conspired to kill her. On the morning of the incident, they went to Ramani's house and told her they had brought gifts. They asked her to close her eyes. Within moments of Ramani closing her eyes, the couple allegedly attacked her repeatedly with a pair of scissors. As she struggled and screamed, they covered her mouth and tightened a cloth around her neck to silence her.
They allegedly picked up a grinding stone from the house and assaulted her. After confirming that she was dead, they stole two chains, earrings and a ring. After investigation, police arrested the couple and recovered the 6½ sovereigns.