Kovai shocker: 85-year-old raped, murdered

On December 19 morning, the woman was found dead in her tiled roof house in the city.  Initially police suspected that she could have been murdered for her jewellery as her bangles were missing. However, an autopsy confirmed that she was raped.

The victim was identified as Palaniammal of 1st Street Extension in Gandhipuram. Her husband Palaniappan died many years ago and the woman was living in the first of a set of five tiled roof row houses. Their only daughter Deivanai (60) owned two mansions on either side of the row houses belonging to Palaniammal and lived in one of the houses in the building opposite her mother’s house. The aged woman was living alone and her daughter used to provide food and take care of her. It is learnt that the daughter had got the gold chain and most of the jewellery from her mother on security grounds. But, the aged woman preferred wearing a pair of bangles and earrings. On Sunday night, Deivanai provided food for Palaniammal. 

According to the police, the old lady used to come out of her house around 5 am and go to her daughter’s house for a cup of tea. But, she did not come till 6 am. Deivanai’s son Karunakaran (35), who went into the house, found her dead and alerted the police. Police found the bangles missing on the dead body. This led to suspicion that she was murdered for jewellery. But her earrings were spared. Police grew suspicious that she could have been sexually assaulted as the body was half naked. The body was sent to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital, where an autopsy confirmed that she was raped. 

Neighbours told the police that they heard strange sounds around 2 am but assumed that she was blabbering loudly or abusing someone. Commissioner A Amalraj and Deputy Commissioner S Lakshmi conducted inquiries. Two special teams were formed. Forensic experts and police dog squad were pressed into service. The police also retrieved CCTV footage from commercial firms close to the scene of crime. A case has been registered under sections 302 (punishment for murder) and 380 (theft in a dwelling place) of IPC and a case would also be booked under section 376 (punishment for rape), after receiving the autopsy report, a police official said.