A shocking case of murder has emerged from Coimbatore, where a 39-year-old woman was brutally beaten to death after she allegedly pledged counterfeit gold ornaments at a local pawn shop. The incident, which unfolded over several days, culminated in the woman's death, leading to the arrest of the pawnbroker who later surrendered.
The Fatal Sequence of Events
The victim, identified as P Sudha (39), a native of Uthangarai in Krishnagiri district, visited a pawn shop run by M Rajaram (53) in Chinnamettupalayam near Thudiyalur on December 8. According to police, she pledged a gold ring for Rs 30,000. She returned the very next day with another ring, securing Rs 32,000. On December 12, she pledged bangles for a sum of Rs 75,000.
Rajaram, who also runs a sweet shop, grew suspicious of the frequent pledges. He sent the ornaments for appraisal, where they were confirmed to be fake. Attempts to trace Sudha using the address she provided failed, as it was also found to be false.
The Confrontation and Brutal Assault
The situation escalated on December 17 when Sudha returned to the pawn shop, intending to pledge two more gold rings for Rs 90,000. Rajaram, along with his associate Mahendran, confronted her about the fake jewellery and demanded she return the money she had already received. When she refused, the altercation turned violent.
The duo assaulted her and took her to an isolated spot near Rajaram's sweet shop. There, they were joined by a friend of Mahendran. The three men then took the victim to a mechanic shop on Athipalayam Road near Saravanampatti. In a horrific act, they beat her severely using a PVC pipe and a wooden log.
Aftermath and Arrests
After the assault, the assailants left Sudha unconscious at the mechanic shop. They returned around 8 PM to find her dead. Following the murder, pawn shop owner M Rajaram surrendered before Chinnavedampatti Village Administration Officer (VAO) G Pandi in the early hours of Thursday.
The VAO subsequently handed him over to the Saravanampatti police. The police registered a murder case against Rajaram and arrested him. A manhunt has been launched to apprehend the two other accomplices, Mahendran and his friend, who are currently absconding.
This gruesome incident highlights the extreme and criminal lengths to which a dispute over fraudulent transactions can lead. The police investigation is ongoing to uncover all details surrounding the case and bring the remaining accused to justice.
