Ragpicker, beggar raped, murdered in Salem

In brutal attacks on women from the poor strata, a ragpicker and a beggar were found murdered after rape in two different incidents in the city today, police said.
The ragpicker, in her mid 40s, was found naked with cut injuries in her head in a hotel at Gorimedu while the beggar woman was seen hanging from a tree in another busy locality here, sending shock waves among the residents.
Police said the body of the ragpicker was found inside the hotel with its door ransacked when its owner went there after being away from the city for two days.

A worker of the hotel, who used to take care of it in the absence of the owner, was found absconding, they said.
In the other incident in Fairland area, the semi-naked body of the beggar woman was found hanging from a tree.
Police said both the women had been raped before their murders. They were identified by locals as ragpicker and beggar who used to frequent the area.
The twin murders, especially of women from poor background, triggered tension in the localities.
Special teams had been formed to nab the culprits and ascertain full details about the victims, they said.