Ex-Pondy minister's relative found murdered

An elderly couple were found murderedat a residential colony here, the police said Wednesday.

Police said while Balakrishnan (72) was found strangled, his 65-year-old wife, Hemalatha, was suffocated to death using a pillow, they said.

Police said Balakrishnan was a relative of former Local Administration Minister C Jayakumar.

According to police, the deceased are French nationals of Puducherry origin and their children were away in France.

The neighbours became suspicious when they found that Hemalatha had not come out of the house this morning.

They informed Jayakumar who rushed to the spot and found their bodies in their bedroom.

Chief Minister V Narayanasamy visited the spot and directed police to expedite the investigation.

The almirah in the bedroom was found ransacked, police said.

However, the ornaments worn by the woman were found intact, they said, adding that the motive for the murder could not be known immediately.