Three Arrested for Murder of 80-Year-Old Woman in T Nagar Apartment

Pondy Bazaar Police have arrested three persons, including a domestic worker, in connection with the murder and robbery of an 80-year-old woman residing alone in an apartment on Kuppusamy Street in T Nagar. The victim, identified as Radha, was found strangled to death inside her flat.

The incident came to light on Friday morning when Vijay Adhiraj, who lives in the apartment directly above Radha’s residence, noticed that her house was locked. After getting no response despite repeatedly ringing the doorbell and calling her mobile phone, he contacted Radha’s son, Ramji Yadav, who lives in Besant Nagar.

Ramji Yadav rushed to his mother’s flat and opened the door using a spare key. Upon entering, he found Radha lying dead with injuries and bleeding from her nose. He also discovered that her gold chain, gold bangle, diamond earrings, gold ring, silver articles, and cash were missing. On Thursday, Ramji had accompanied his mother to a dental hospital for medical treatment and dropped her back home later that day.

Based on a complaint lodged by Ramji Yadav, the Pondy Bazaar Police registered a case, recovered the victim's body, and sent it for a post-mortem examination. During the investigation, officers established that Radha lived alone and had employed a domestic worker, identified as 36-year-old Menaka alias Ammu, for the past five months.

During police questioning, Menaka confessed that she had conspired with two male acquaintances, Mouli alias Chandramouli and Manikandan, to steal jewellery from the residence. According to police, the trio entered the apartment on Thursday evening, strangled Radha to death, and fled with the jewellery she was wearing, along with silver articles and ₹2,000 in cash.

Police subsequently arrested Menaka, a resident of Vinayagapuram in MMDA Colony, Arumbakkam, alongside Mouli alias Chandramouli, 26, and Manikandan, 24, both residents of Teynampet. Investigators recovered approximately eight sovereigns of gold jewellery, including a chain, bangle, and ring, as well as a pair of diamond earrings, silver articles, ₹2,000 in cash, and a two-wheeler allegedly used in the crime.

Police noted that Mouli alias Chandramouli had two previous criminal cases registered against him. All three accused were produced before a magistrate on Saturday and remanded in judicial custody.