Efforts are on to identify woman murdered in Erode

Efforts are on to identify a woman who was murdered and buried in a banana plantation near Getticheviyur in Gobichettipalayam taluk.

The police said that a few residents had gone to the plantation on Friday to collect mushrooms that had sprouted after the recent rain. They reportedly noticed a blood-stained knife and strands of a woman’s hair protruding from the soil, and immediately alerted the Siruvalur police.

Upon inspection, the police found that a woman was killed and buried in a shallow pit. A team of doctors from the Government Medical College Hospital, Perundurai, conducted a post-mortem examination at the spot.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the victim, said to be around 35 years old with tattoos of the national flag and a butterfly on her left arm, had sustained severe head injuries, her neck had been slit, and multiple wounds were found on her face and jaw.

As the blood at the spot had dried, officers believe the murder took place a few days ago and that the body was buried later. Police suspect that more than one person may have been involved in the crime, as it would have been difficult for a single individual to dig the pit and bury the body. The woman’s identity is yet to be established.

On Saturday, a special police team began analysing mobile phone tower records within 200 metres of the scene and is scrutinising CCTV footage from the surrounding areas. Meanwhile, details of missing women from Gobichettipalayam and nearby regions are being collected to help identify the victim.