A shocking crime unfolded in Chennai's Choolaimedu area on Thursday, leading to the arrest of a 28-year-old man for the alleged murder of a 45-year-old woman and a subsequent attempt to burn her body. The accused, identified as Santhakumar, reportedly committed the crime with the motive of stealing the victim's gold jewellery.
Neighbours Hear Screams, Discover Gruesome Scene
The victim, Amutha (45), was the wife of Srinivasan, who runs a tea shop on Vinayagapuram 2nd Street. The couple have two sons, one studying medicine and the other engineering. Amutha was known to regularly assist her husband at their tea shop.
On the day of the incident, Amutha had completed her morning household chores and went to the tea shop. She returned to her home in the afternoon for lunch. Shortly after, neighbours reported hearing screams emanating from the house. Upon rushing inside, they discovered Amutha lying with injuries, her body partially charred. They immediately alerted the Choolaimedu police.
The police sent the body to the Kilpauk Medical College Hospital (KMC) for a postmortem examination and registered a case of murder.
Juice Shop Owner Identified as Suspect
Investigators quickly zeroed in on Santhakumar, a 28-year-old resident of Anna Nagar West. He was known to the victim's family as he ran a juice shop near Srinivasan's tea shop. Police alleged that Santhakumar followed Amutha to her house with the intention of robbery.
When police attempted to apprehend him, the accused tried to flee by jumping from the second floor of a building. This desperate escape attempt resulted in a fracture in one of his legs. He was subsequently caught and admitted to KMC for treatment of his injury.
Jewellery Recovered, Accused in Judicial Custody
During the investigation, police recovered Amutha's gold earrings and ring from Santhakumar's possession, confirming the robbery motive. After his medical treatment, Santhakumar was produced before a magistrate court. The court remanded him to judicial custody, and he was lodged at Puzhal prison.
The case has sent shockwaves through the local community in Choolaimedu, highlighting concerns over safety and violent crime motivated by theft.
