A special team of the Villupuram police on Wednesday arrested a serial killer in connection with the murder and rape of an elderly woman and her daughter at Kandappan Chavadi near Kandamangalam on Tuesday.
The accused has been identified as G. Kavidas, 30, a JCB driver of Ottanandhal village near Tiruvennainallur.
Addressing a joint press conference, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Villupuram Range) M. Pandian and Superintendent of Police N. Shreenatha said that Kavidas was involved in four other murder cases.
The arrest of the accused led to the detection of two murders in Thirupapuliyur in Cuddalore district in January this year, the officer said, adding that all his victims were women.
Most of the victims were targeted when they were alone at home.
The accused was also involved in two murder and rape cases in Tiruvennainallur in Villupuram district and Tirunavalur in Kallakurichi district.
He is also involved in attempt to murder cases, police said.
Mr. Pandian said that the police teams mounted surveillance on intruders with similar modus operandi and zeroed in on the accused.
A police team led by Sub-Inspector Prabhu arrested Kavidas near Villupuram.
The accused allegedly confessed to murdering the two women in Kandamangalam on Tuesday.
He broke open into the house, murdered them and had intercourse with the corpses and decamped with their jewellery.
While fleeing from the scene of crime, Kavidas allegedly attacked an elderly couple working in a brick kiln.
The police team also recovered 8 sovereigns of jewellery from Kavidas.
He will be produced before a court and remanded in custody.
