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An 82-year-old woman was found murdered at her residence in a gated community in the Nanjundapuram area of Coimbatore on Friday, March 6, with police suspecting the involvement of her domestic worker who has been missing since the incident.
The deceased was identified as G Kasturi Kutty (82), who lived with her son Ramkumar Kutty, an Ayurvedic doctor. According to police, Ramkumar had recently left for a official trip abroad, leaving his mother under the care of a domestic worker from Nepal identified as Surja Rokay (37).
According to reports, Kasturi Kutty’s daughter, who lives in another gated community in the city, used to speak to her mother every morning over the phone. When she called around 7.15 am on Friday, the calls went unanswered. Unable to reach either her mother or the domestic worker, she contacted a neighbour and requested them to check on her.
The neighbour reached the house at around 8.55 am and found the front door locked from inside. She then entered through the back door, which was unlocked, and discovered Kasturi Kutty lying dead in her bedroom with her hands and legs tied and her mouth gagged. The domestic worker was not present in the house.
Senior police officers, including Deputy Commissioner of Police (Coimbatore South) G Karthikeyan, visited the scene along with investigation teams. A sniffer dog squad and fingerprint experts were deployed to collect evidence.
Police said a mobile phone belonging to the domestic worker was found near the house, and investigators are analysing CCTV footage from cameras installed in the gated community for further clues.
According to the police, a gold chain worn by the deceased was missing, and officials are verifying whether other valuables or cash were stolen from the residence. Investigators suspect that the crime may have been committed for financial gain.
Based on a complaint filed by the victim’s daughter, the police have registered a case and formed multiple special teams to trace the missing domestic worker and identify those involved in the crime.
Sources also said that Kasturi Kutty is the daughter of PV Rama Varier, the founder of Arya Vaidya Pharmacy (Coimbatore) Limited, where her son Ramkumar Kutty serves as one of the directors.
The body has been sent for post-mortem examination, and further investigation is underway.