ERODE: The Bhavani police in Erode district on Saturday arrested two youths on charges of sexually assaulting a 74-year-old woman and attempting to murder her during a house burglary in the early hours of Friday.The arrested men have been identified as V Harikumar, 23, and S Giri, alias Kannan, 21, both residents of Kaltholilalarkal Street.According to police, the duo were in an inebriated state when they broke into the residence of P Thangammal, 74, to steal utensils. The elderly woman woke up and raised an alarm. The intruders threatened to kill her. They allegedly sexually and physically assaulted her before fleeing the spot with utensils worth Rs 7,000.The incident came to light on Friday morning when the victim’s son, P Murugesan, returned home to find his mother in a state of severe shock.After she narrated the ordeal, Murugesan rushed her to the Bhavani Government Hospital. Later, he lodged a police complaint.“Because of her advanced age, she could not clearly recall or identify the faces of the attackers. We tracked and identified the suspects using CCTV footage,” a senior police officer said. “We have recovered the stolen utensils and registered a case against the duo under sections 331(4), 309, 64, 109 and 305 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).”They have been remanded in judicial custody.
