A 55-year-old wage labourer was arrested by the Virinchipuram police in Vellore on Sunday for allegedly killing an elderly woman after she demanded repayment of money he had borrowed from her.
Police identified the accused as R. Govindasamy, a resident of Poigai village near the new airport on the Chennai-Bengaluru Highway (NH 48). The victim was identified as S. Ellaiammal (65), a resident of the same village.
Preliminary said the accused Govindasamy was Ellaiammal’s neighbour. She was a widow who reared cattle for a living. Govindasamy worked as a daily wage labourer in the area and used to borrow small amounts of money from her to meet his expenses.
Police said the debt had accumulated to ₹6,500 over the years. On Saturday, Ellaiammal reportedly asked Govindasamy to repay the money after he received his weekly wages. This led to an argument between them.
In a fit of rage, Govindasamy allegedly attacked her with a stone, police said. He then allegedly burnt her body in an open area before fleeing the scene. Residents noticed the body and alerted the police, who inspected the spot.
A special police team analysed CCTV footage from the route and apprehended Govindasamy. During interrogation, he allegedly confessed to the crime, police said. A case has been registered. He was remanded in judicial custody and lodged at the Central Prison in Vellore. Further investigation is under way.
Published – July 20, 2026 12:03 am IST
