The Tiruvannamalai principal sessions court convicted a woman on charges of robbing an elderly couple of a gold chain and cash and culpable homicide and sentenced her to life imprisonment on Wednesday.

Elappan (80) and wife Parvathi (70) of Pudupalayam of Gingee taluk in Villupuram district gave their daughter in marriage to a youth from Thandarampattu in Tiruvannamalai district. When the elderly couple came to Tiruvannamalai bus stand on their way to Thandarampattu on October 21, 2016 to meet their daughter and son-in-law, they were accosted by a woman, who volunteered to accompany the couple as she was also bound for Thandarampattu.

She took them in an auto and on the way bought tea for them. Soon after consuming the  tea, the elderly couple swooned. Making use of the situation, the woman, who was later identified as Shanti (47) wife of Rajavel of Neyveli in Cuddalore district, fled with the couple’s a 5-sovereign chain and Rs 1000 in cash When the couple regained consciousness, Elappan who felt dizzy was taken to the Tiruvannamalai government hospital. However, he died without responding to the treatment. 

Acting on a complaint from Parvathi, Tiruvannamalai town police, after checking the CCTV footage from the bus stand, registered a case and arrested Shanti. Judge Maghizhendhi after hearing the arguments sentenced Shanti to life imprisonment and slapped a fine of Rs 5000. He also ordered that Shanthi will have undergo an additional jail term of 5 years if she failed to pay the  penalty. Following the judgment, Shanthi lodged in the jail.