Man arrested for murder of woman, 71

Coimbatore: A 25-year-old construction worker was arrested on Sunday for murdering a 71-year-old woman for gold ornaments and later raping her at her residence near Thudiyalur on April 17. He is likely to be remanded in judicial custody on Monday.
The Thadagam police identified the accused as S Vinoth alias Karuppaiah, of Sevagampatti village in Pudukkottai. He was residing in a rental house at Pannimadai near Thudiyalur along with his wife and daughter.
According to an investigation officer, Vinoth plotted the robbery after he came to know the elderly woman was residing alone. “He entered her house on the night of April 17, strangled her to death and later raped her. He then decamped with 10 grams of gold ornaments and a mobile phone.”
Police didn’t suspect rape in the beginning. However, during the autopsy, doctors found traces of semen in the woman’s private part.
Since Vinoth was missing from Pannimadai village, a police team led by circle inspector Balamurali Sundaram traced his whereabouts to Karumathampatti and arrested him on Sunday afternoon. He confessed to police that he had murdered and raped the woman.