Man arrested for killing woman who demanded refund

The Virinchipuram police in Vellore on Sunday arrested a 55-year-old wage laborer for allegedly killing an elderly woman after she demanded the return of money he had borrowed from her.

The 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.

He tentatively stated that accused Govindasamy was Ellaiammal’s neighbour. She was a widow who raised cattle for a living. Govindasamy worked as a daily wage laborer in the area and borrowed small amounts from her to meet his expenses.

Police said the debt had accumulated to ₹6,500 over the years. On Saturday, Ellaiammal allegedly asked Govindasamy to repay the money after receiving his weekly salary. This led to an argument between them.

In a fit of rage, Govindasamy allegedly attacked her with a stone, police said. He then allegedly burned her body in an open area before fleeing the scene. Residents noticed the body and alerted the police, who inspected the place.

A special police team analyzed CCTV footage from the route and arrested Govindasamy. During questioning, he allegedly confessed to the crime, the police said. A case has been registered. He was taken into judicial custody and lodged in Vellore Central Jail. Further investigation is underway.

Published – 20 Jul 2026 00:03 IST