Body burnt and dumped along an isolated road near Sriperumbudur
In a shocking incident, a school boy allegedly murdered an aged woman and robbed her of her gold jewels. The 14-year-old conspired with his aunt and committed the gruesome murder and later disposed the body with the help of his uncle, police sources said on Tuesday.
According to the Superintendent of Police (Kancheepuram) S. Manoharan, the body of an unidentified woman was found along the roadside in Sengadu village abutting Tiruvallur district border early on Monday. But for the face, the body was completely burnt. Preliminary enquiries revealed that one Roger Daniel of Purasavakkam in Chennai had lodged a complaint with the Tiruvallur police that his mother J. Rajam (68) was missing since Sunday evening.
On seeing the photograph/video of the body found in Sengadu, he found some resemblance. Later at the Chengalpet Government Hospital mortuary, Daniel, confirmed that the body was that of his mother. Rajam was a retired nurse settled in Ekadu while her children lived in Chennai. “Daniel informed [us] that his mother was last seen going into a house in the neighbourhood. Our sniffer dog 'Bravo' inspected the scene where the body was found and ran to some distance towards Tiruvallur…this gave us an indication that the murderers might have come from that side,” Mr. Manoharan said.
A special team led by the Sriperumbudur Deputy Superintendent of Police R. Gajendrakumar was formed to investigate the case. The team went to the house where Rajam had last visited in Ekadu and interrogated Saritha (28), her husband Baskar (31) and the boy. “The minor confessed to having murdered Rajam along with Saritha. He invited the old woman to his house on Sunday afternoon on the pretext of giving mangoes. When she went there, he strangled her with a piece of cloth. Soon after, the victim fell unconscious, Saritha dropped the grinder stone on her head. Rajam died on the spot and the accused persons stole her gold chain and studs,” Mr. Gajendrakumar told The Hindu.
Uncle aids in the crime
The two informed Baskar about the murder. When he suggested that the body could be buried in an open space behind the house, the minor told him that stray dogs might dig out the body. Late on Sunday night, Baskar and the boy packed the body in a gunny bag and took it to a remote village road in Sengadu. They set the body on fire and escaped from the scene. “The boy is a class IX student at a Government school in Chennai. His father works as a security guard in a private firm. He had gone to his aunt’s place in Tiruvallur to spend the summer holidays. The motive of the murder was to rob the gold and use it to buy a [game console] worth about Rs. 8,000. Saritha had wanted a part of the booty for personal expenses,” he said.
Police solved the murder case and arrested all the three accused persons within 24 hours. The gold jewels stolen from the victim were recovered intact. Rajam was targeted because she was living alone in the house and was seen wearing jewels most of the time, police sources added.
An erroneous reference to the suspect's school has been removed
Keywords: murder, crime, Sengadu murder, Sriperambudur killing





@Joseph - agree with you. The boy is young and it is the aunt who should have corrected him. And it can even be that she suggested it.
It will be good for media (Print - Electronic - Movies etc) NOT to highlight the status things (iPod, tablets, Biking with High Speed, etc) and focus on the good values of life. We have to move away judiciously from consumerism.
This is not just a case in Tamilnadu, but the same type of cases
taking place in Uttar Pradesh on daily basis and reason is just to
fulfill their greed which is completely influenced by western
culture. The most targeted among the society are widows, senior
citizen and teenagers. Demand of teenagers should be taken
seriously and parents should keep their eyes on them so that they shouldn't go wrong. Sometimes finding it very shameful when parents
are completely involved in such type of shameful act.
I am not sure if police deserve to be complimented for task or mocked at.
1) I don’t understand the sensitivity (or lack of it) to show partially burnt face to her son. Identification based only of words of son who said “yes it looks like her”. So there is a possibility it might not have been her
2) Bravo ran towards tiruvallur, so suspect could be from there or beyond in that direction
3) Police got lucky with confession which can later be altered at court. I really hope they have more evidence than that reported
4) Boy strangles her and she fell unconscious, the actual kill was done by lady who smashed her head with rock. So why does the report say “Boy kills woman”?
Kudos to TN police and they need to be complimented for an excellent work of solving the murder within 24 hours. On the otherside it is a pity to see/hear that a minor plotted the crime. In my view it is the greed of the aunt that culminated to drag the boy to such a cruel action. India is heading to disaster - Sad to say that how our big & small screens has impacted the society. The government instead of fighting petty issues on educational reforms (Samacheer Kalvi, Cartoon issues, etc) - should focus on inculcating good behaviours, social responsibilities to our future generation through "Value Education".
Congratulations to the TN police for the quick action. And shame on the
aunt for aiding (or maybe fueling, who knows!) the kid's murder plans
instead of stopping them immediately.
Where are we heading?....
A boy of that age doesnt have the wisdom to delibrate between right or
wrong. It is the responsibity of his Guardians/parents to lead by
example and show him the right path. However Utopian that may sound but
its worth Hoping for
our society is going straight to the dogs, that too in fast-track mode.
Do not blame the boy alone.Look at the way our society is being led into awestern style of living.Materliastic word will get into such problems only.So let us all try to live a Dharmic life to induce the same in our neighbours.
What is the point of solving the crime when they all are going to be
freed by judicial loopholes. Its high time pre-planned murder should be
punished by death sentence. The idea of law is to not just give justice,
but to instill fear in those who wish to commit any unlawful act. Its
high time our judicial system is rewritten, otherwise such incidents
will happen more frequently.
This is very shameful to us please take the action seriously
Law must be amended in such a way that people fear to commit even the smallest crime.
The only way our people can be brought onto the right track is through the fear of punishment.
see...!
the kids also turned to robberies!!how nasty thing it is!!
is money necessary than a "LIFE"
...
I don't see the need to have included the work "Playstation" in the
title. Was it just to grab reader's attention or was it relevant to the
story?
Sad. Impact of Tollywood and bollywood movies.
Horrible! The merciless woman killing a motherly woman with the help of a wayward boy! Horrible! Consumerism,greed,lack of morals pervading the society at levels make me shudder about the future of this country! We are definitely on the wrong path!
This may be a consequence of the welfare state, India is turning out to be. As the government gives everything from television to grinder for free, adoloscents growing up in this "freebie land" feel entitled to everything they want. No section of society is teaching them the importance of earning their living. No one has the guts to tell them that your wants and your needs are your responsibility and the rest of the society is not obliged to give whatever you want.
The minor could also be confessing to the crime to save elders. Media and police must
be careful and not give too much credence to such sensational claims
before a final judgment is pronounced.
The police need to be complimented for an excellent work of solving the murder within twenty-four hours of the crime being committed.While it is a pity that a minor plotted the crime,the action of the aunt and uncle is shocking.Instead of dissuading the minor from committing such a deed,they seem to have wholeheartedly and eagerly paricipated in the heinous crime.
Do not blame globalization for this family's actions. Also, what data do
you have on behavior of Indian people to claim this behavior was not
prevalent before globalization? Is female infanticide also movtivated by
globalization? Was Sati not heinous?
The land of Mahatma Gandhi is also the land where numerous kings
fought numerous wars with each other over centuries. We conveniently
glorify and gloss over our past - and often do so without analysis or
introspection.
This shows very well that the present day children are not taught the
human values.
Pitiable end to a lonely woman.
Greed, no relationship existing.
Slow, steady progress alone will pacify and not the shortcuts.
Lesson to all.
Don,t buy any luxury items w/o a well deserved saving earned only by hard work.
Let the parents teach their wards by example.
simple living and high thinking.
Pray for the future upbringing our children and grand children.
Kudos to the police authorities.
Job ,well done.
But try to prevent these than sitting idle.
Achieve more by timely action.
M.V.V.
5 years down the line,you would see the accused walking free.
INDIA; A poor nation with 20% rich and 80% (poor & classes of lower/middle/upper) and LAW is very weak, POLICE (NOT ALL but majority) good postmortem rather than prevention of crime, Judiciary is following 1870 old and outdated books for delivery of justice after 40 years of case filed. On top of it, anyone in India can do anything, Police can catch if he/she is common man if not CBI has to get into feild. Even then Judges take bribe to give a BAIL. Hence we read more and more such news in future here.
I think by birth this kid is not a murderer. There are 2 major factors
pushed him to do this. First one is his hunger to play the game and
Second one is the environment (place where he lived). Both of them can be
controlled by their parents.
Most movies today depict violent acts. Our children exposed to these lose thier morality - which results in crimes like these. Today's cinema has become the villian in the piece - planting the vicious seen in the young ones brains.
Moral policing and exposing our children to violent acts - will promote more such things appear in the media in future.. very disturbing trend.
A Boy kills his teacher, another one kills an old lady, another girl dobs in her parents for a triple murder (after a number of years and conspiciously after her parents opposed her love marriage). a man attempts to murder his pregnant lover and action is still not taken... all these news stories came out in a span of 4 weeks .. I think we have become numb to the fact -someone is being killed a life is lost. someone has lost a mother brother or sister.. and someone has lost the sensitivity to all this. We should stop dramatizing these happenings and start moral policing. Another contributing fact is today's movies which have made violent acts seem acceptable... very sad!
One in every two Indians is below the age of 25. How many of them are at school? How many of them are at college? How many of them are not studying and unemployed? A look into these facts would throw some light on the future trend of such foreboding incidents, although almost all of them are caught by the rampant clutches of globalised neocapitalism, exposed by the media and endorsed by the entertainment industry. The latter also uphails violence. A vicious concoction of violence and greed! What are the root causes? We all know, but keep doing it in the name of development and fun! Who is greedy? The old lady with wealth? The uncle, aunt or the nephew? Probably, all of them. But greed alone neither grants the license to kill nor enables to such heinous acts! It does involve a certain feeling of violence brewing from within!
Where did all the socialistic minimalism vanish within a couple of decades? The elephant is running wayward!
Not only despicable, now it is scary to think of all old generation people living in Chennai. This news started appearing more frequently. Punishment should be severe for all and made available for all yound people to see how they are punished.
It is highly distressing that today's generation is governed by greed,
impulsiveness and ruthlessness rather than by morality, compassion and
prudence. Such impulsive acts committed by a person not only spifflicate
the lives of others but also ruin his own life. In an endeavor to have
petty advantages, the person disowns the most essential human quality
i.e. humanity.
It is sad to see the increasing crime by the minors these days.. Good
work by the TN Police.. As a society we should take the blame in
bringing up a class IX student with this attitude..
Desire is the cuase of suffering to the victim and the perpetrator.
@Joseph - I guess, you failed to read the entire news article where it
clearly says that the murder was done to rob the jewels to buy gaming
console for the boy. The aunt was planning to take only a portion of
the booty.
parents/gaurdens need to tought how to raise their kids respectfully......untill they understand.......& i think this is the only way
This country is heading to disaster;it is late but not too late if
not checked this trend there is no future.
Murder for Gaming console ?? Where is our country going ?
This story once again highlights what crime statistics already tell us -- you are much more likely to be harmed (raped, murdered, mugged, kidnapped and held to ransom, or killed unlawfully by other violent means) by one of your own relatives or friends than by random strangers. There is hardly anything the police can do to prevent such incidents -- they can only do investigations post-incident; which they have done excellently in this case.
Investigation should be made towards the history of this killer family. Killing someone just like that needs courage. Were they involved in similar activities before?
Yes the headline should focus on the adults involved in this horrific murder.How the 3 plotted the whole episode,killing and burning, sends shivers through our bones.Too much materialism is prevalent even in villge life.We have lost our way
I appreciate the police for their prompt action. But I wish that courts also deliver justice quickly and punish the offenders. Otherwise in India, cases drag on for years together with criminals walking out free or with minor punishment.
How cruel and dastardly. How young minds poisoned to possess consumer
items at any cost and how parents connive. Where are the Indian ethos
and values which we nurished over the years. Moral values have come to
the nadir. whom to blame.
Good job by the police department. The boy definitely needs some
counselling while in juvenile prison. Sad that money and material is
more valuable than life in our society.
old women alone
wearing gold jewellarries
High risk factor in this century
Wow. Material world. Recently I read a new item about a Chinese teenager selling his kidney to buy iPhone. So much for globalization.
so shocking and unbelievable.such a shame to read about this incident...no words.
I would like to have the headline changed. I think, its the aunt who wanted the gold and motivated the boy to commit the murder. These kinds of people should be punished without mercy. The headline just creates a sensational news for more readers - horrible.
Another horrid fall out of consumerism promoted by every one of us obsessed with satisfying our desires. Desires are disastrous. Denying it brings peace personally and socially. Are we ready to learn and change?
Sir,
Only recently a school student stabbed his teacher to death. Now a
school student has murdered an elderly lady for money. It is indeed
shocking to note that morality among youngsters has been vastly eroded
either by the greed for material things or due to intolerance. Moral
teachings at school level and at college level are absolutely essential
to improve the society.
Is this the land of Gandhi and Ramana Maharishi? This is unbelievable. The culture of greed is now all-pervasive in our society, thanks to widespread adoption of western materialism as a way of life. We need to place emphasis on simple living and a dharmic way of life advocated by our scriptures.
This seems a rapid response by the Police force of TamilNadu, especially, the use of snifer dogs. Quick, correct and transparent action by all such policing authorities, am sure would definitely instill confidence of the public and treat them as 'friends of people'. And finally, may god bless all strength to the bereaved family and the departed soul rest in peace. I wish brief tactics of important investigations be publicized through online means like 'youtube', 'facebook', etc., in addition to the websites of the department themselves.
This is very brutal, killing an old woman for play station is very ridiculous
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