1 held for robbing gold chain from elderly woman near Madurai

Madurai: A 25-year-old woman was arrested for trying to rob an elderly woman of her gold chain by applying towel sprayed with chili powder over the victim's face at Melur here on Sunday. Police said V Dhanalakshmi, 65, was living with her aged mother in Thumbaipatti, Melur. K Saraswathi, of Athikaripatti, had been selling bangles in the area for a few days. On Sunday evening, Saraswathi trespassed into Dhanalakshmi's house and wrapped a towel filled with chili powder around her face. Then she snatched the one-and-a-half sovereign gold chain from Dhanalakshmi's neck and tried to escape from the spot. But locals caught Saraswathi and handed her over to police. In a separate case, Thirumangalam town police arrested M Karumalai, 24, of Perungudi, for waylaying and robbing an elderly man of his one sovereign gold chain at knifepoint near the junction of Vadakarai Road on Sunday.