Sri Vijaya Puram, November 11: A 77-year-old woman was allegedly assaulted by an unidentified man who entered her house in Kerlapuram on the pretext of conducting a census and escaped with most of her gold chain on November 9. The attack left the elderly woman injured, including two broken teeth.
The incident occurred at her residence in Ward No. 1 when she was alone at home after her younger son, Shibu Solomon, left for work at around 2.30 pm.
According to her statement to the police, the woman returned from the bathroom to find a stranger sitting in her drawing room. When questioned, the man claimed that he had come from an office to conduct a census and was carrying a folder. He also asked her whether she received an old-age pension.
The woman reportedly told him that she neither received a pension nor wished to apply for one. Despite her asking him to leave, the man remained inside the house and subsequently requested drinking water, addressing her as “Aunty”.
As she got up and walked towards the kitchen to fetch water, the man allegedly pushed her forcefully from behind. Her head struck the wall before she fell to the floor.
When she screamed for help, the assailant allegedly covered her mouth, pressed her throat and threatened to kill her if she continued raising an alarm. He then pulled the gold chain from her neck, breaking it in the process.
The chain weighed approximately 20 grams. The attacker allegedly fled with its larger portion, while a smaller broken piece fell to the floor during the struggle.
The woman also sustained injuries to her teeth, with two of them reportedly breaking during the assault. Unable to get up immediately, she remained on the floor for some time before managing to contact her grandson, Abhisek Jay, who lives next door.
Her grandson reached the house and informed the police over the phone.
The woman described the suspect as wearing a blue full-sleeved shirt, an ash-coloured cap and jeans. His identity remains unknown.
She alleged that the man used the pretext of conducting a census to gain entry into the house before attacking her and taking her jewellery. She was subsequently taken for a medical examination at SD Hospital, where doctors found injuries, including two broken teeth.
Her statement was recorded at the hospital at around 8 pm on November 9 in the presence of her 48-year-old son.
Police are investigating the incident and efforts are underway to establish the identity of the assailant.
The incident has raised concerns over the safety of elderly residents who remain alone at home during the day. It also underscores the need for residents to verify the identity of people claiming to represent government departments before allowing them entry into their homes.
