66-year-old missing woman murdered in Palakkad

Palakkad: A 66-year-old woman, who had gone missing last month, was allegedly murdered with her body partially burned and buried in a pit at Kozhinjampara in Palakkad district.The victim was identified as Sarasammal, a resident of Attayampathy near Kozhinjampara.

After she went missing on June 10, her family lodged a missing person complaint with the police two days later.

Following a detailed investigation into her disappearance, Kozhinjampara police unravelled the brutal crime and arrested a 19-year-old neighbour. A search is under way for a 17-year-old juvenile accused of assisting the prime suspect.According to investigators, the accused allegedly attacked and killed Sarasammal with the intention of robbing her gold jewellery.

After the murder, they allegedly attempted to destroy evidence by setting the body on fire inside a bathroom. Police said the body was placed inside a drum and set ablaze before the partially burnt remains were wrapped in a sack, transported to another location and buried in a pit to conceal the crime.The gruesome murder came to light after police carried out an extensive probe into the woman’s disappearance. During questioning of the suspect, police identified robbery as the primary motive behind the killing.A police team is continuing a detailed search in the area to recover the buried body and collect further forensic evidence. Investigators are also probing whether more people were involved in the crime.