Murder for gain in Kasimedu: friend's son held

A day after a 60-year-old woman was found murdered in her house at Kasimedu, police have arrested a 42-year-old man for strangulating her to death for the six sovereigns she was wearing.

Investigation revealed that the mother of the accused Alex (42) of Kasi Thottam and the deceased Anthony Mary were friends and he had also been employed by Anthony Mary's husband Michael Nayakam in his fishing business.

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Police said that Alex murdered Anthony Mary for want of money since his wife often quarrelled with him over lack of income.

"Alex, who knew that Anthony Mary was alone at home on the third floor of the building, reached the house on Wednesday morning and strangulated with the help of a cloth. Later, he removed the jewels she was wearing and sprinkled chilli powder to confuse sniffer dogs," said an officer. However, he did not touch other valuables in the house.

Police said that he pledged the jewels at a cooperative bank in Royapuram and received Rs 1.30 lakh. He then have Rs 40,000 to his wife and kept the remaining sum with him. Rs 60,000 was seized from him, said police.