The rural police on Tuesday arrested Chinnaiyan (45) on charges of murdering a woman in Omalur.
K. Palaniyammal (40) of Pachinampatty village was admitted to the Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital with head injuries on Sunday. But she died later.
The Omalur police registered a case of suspicious death.
After post-mortem, the body was taken to the village in an ambulance. But relatives refused to receive the body and hence the ambulance driver took the van to the police station. Her two sons alleged foul play in her death and wanted detailed investigation to be carried out. Inquiries revealed that after her husband’s death Palaniyammal in the pretext of unearthing treasure received money from many villagers and cheated them.
Since she promised to give iridium, Chinnaiyan and his friend Govindan alias Govendhan also gave her money. But later they learnt that they were cheated. Angered by it, the two confined her to a house and beat her. On Sunday, they attacked her with wooden logs and she sustained injuries. They admitted her to the hospital where she died. The police altered sections to murder and arrested Chinnaiyan while Govendhan is still at large.