Tamil Nadu Police arrested a woman in Coimbatore for murdering a 77-year-old lady and stealing her jewellery. The accused, Saroja, had known the victim for 15 years and was identified via CCTV. 8.5 sovereigns of gold were recovered.
Tamil Nadu Police apprehended a woman for allegedly murdering an elderly victim in Coimbatore and recovered 8.5 sovereigns of gold following the arrest on Thursday.
Elderly woman found murdered for gold
According to the Tamil Nadu Police, 77-year-old Visalatchi Rajagopal, who lived alone at her residence in Anbu Nagar, was found murdered with her gold ornaments missing. On February 21, 2026, her son Namachivayam, a regular visitor, arrived at the house to find the front door locked from the inside. Upon peering through a window, he noticed his mother lying motionless on a cot. Receiving no response, he entered the premises and found her dead, and observed that her gold jewellery was gone. This gave rise to the suspicion of murder for gain, and based on his complaint, a case was registered at the Pollachi West Police Station under sections 329(3), 309(3), and 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Investigation leads to long-time acquaintance
During the initial investigation, suspicious materials, including cigarette butts, beedi remnants, and an empty vodka bottle, were found inside the house, indicating a deliberate attempt to portray the involvement of unknown male offenders. Later, the police launched a proper investigation into the case.
The Police scrutinised footage from more than 50 CCTV cameras in the locality. Through CCTV analysis, police identified a suspect named Saroja, who had known the deceased for over 15 years. Her unusual presence near the scene raised immediate suspicion. Technical analysis and field inquiries revealed inconsistencies in her statements, while surveillance led to the recovery of materials matching those found at the crime scene. Hence, under sustained interrogation, she eventually confessed to the crime.
Confession reveals cold-blooded murder plot
The investigation revealed a cold and calculated plan. Knowing that Visalatchi was living alone following the loss of her younger son, Saroja allegedly decided to target her for her gold. In the days leading up to the crime, she carefully gathered discarded cigarette butts, beedi remnants, and an empty vodka bottle from the neighbourhood, planning to plant them at the scene to frame a group of men.
On February 20, she visited Visalatchi's home under the guise of a casual chat. The situation turned violent when Saroja demanded the elderly woman's jewellery; when Visalatchi resisted, Saroja assaulted her, shoving her head against a wall before finally smothering her with a pillow. After the victim stopped breathing, Saroja stripped the body of 8.5 sovereigns of gold, which consisted of a 6-sovereign chain, 1.5-sovereign bangles, and a 0.5-sovereign ring and earrings, and fled into the night.
Based on her confession, all stolen ornaments were recovered, and the accused was arrested and remanded to judicial custody. (ANI)
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