Erosion of the elderly couple murder case: Three men arrested, confessed to being involved in the Tiruppur triple murder case in 2024

On Monday, the Attorney General of Police (West Side) T. Senthil Kumar (Center) spoke to the media for allegedly arresting three defendants for allegedly murdering an elderly couple in Erode. Also seen is the Deputy Inspector General of Police (Coimbatore Range). SasiMohan (left) and police officer A. Sujatha (right). |Picture source: M. Govarthan

Three men were arrested for the brutal murder of an elderly couple on April 28, 2025 and robbed 10.75 red jewelry sovereignty in the Erode area. Police said on Monday, May 19 that the arrested men also “encouraged” that they were involved in the triple murder case in Semalaigoundanpalayam, Tirupur district on November 28, 2024.

The defendant has been identified as 48-year-old P. Aachiappan, N. Madeswaran, 52, and R. Ramesh, 54, is a resident of Arachalur, Erode District.

The body of victim Ramasamy, 72, and Bakkiyam, 63, were found on May 1, three days after their murder.

The crime sparked strong reactions from opposition leaders, including Edappadi K. Palaniswami, secretary general of AIADMK.

Sivagiri police have registered cases under the 2023 Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. They formed 12 special teams to crack the case, while more than 600 police officers were helped in the investigation. CCTV footage and call details records (CDRs) have been analyzed and queried among local and immigrant farm workers, former criminals and other suspects.

How the defendant was seized

On May 17, a special team arrested one of the suspects during a vehicle inspection in Arachalur, followed by two other suspects. All three of them were taken to the Kadathur police station in the Gobichettipalayam subdivision where they allegedly pleaded guilty. Police said they “accepted” targeting couples who lived alone. The attacker attacked the couple with Mumu, cutting the woman’s ears and fingers and fleeing the stolen jewelry.

Police said they took back the stolen gold jewelry, the cell phones belonging to the victim, the three two-wheeled vehicles used by the defendant, the Mumu used in the attack, and a pair of gloves. Goldsmith, Gyanasekaran of Chennimalai Palayam were also arrested.

Police Department Inspector General (West Side) T. Speaking to the media at the District Police Department, Senthil Kumar said CCTV footage played a crucial role in identifying and arresting defendants. He revealed that coconut businessman Aachiappan visited the couple a few weeks before the crime and found them living alone. On the evening of April 28, around 10:30 pm, he and his accomplices hid near the house. At midnight, when the woman walked outside, they attacked her. Her husband came out after hearing the noise, they killed him and then fled the jewelry and his cell phone.

Triple murder

The IGP further stated that the three also “encouraged” the triple murder in the Tiripur district, where Deivasigamani, 78, his wife Alamathal, 74, and son Senthil Kumar, 44, were killed last November. The defendant stole 5.5 monarch gold jewelry and cell phones during that incident. “Their involvement in this and other cases will be confirmed after police custody,” he added. The three were acquitted earlier in five robberies in 2015 and have not been involved in any recorded criminal activities since.

All four defendants, including the goldsmith, were produced in Elumathur’s court and remanded in judicial custody.

Deputy Inspector General of the Police (Coimbatore range) V. Sasi Mohan and Chief of Police A. Sujatha attended the media briefing.