COIMBATORE: In a major breakthrough, Erode police have arrested three men for the brutal murder of an elderly couple in Sivagiri and uncovered their involvement in a second triple homicide in Tirupur.

The accused — P. Achiappan (48), N. Madeshwaran (52), and R. Ramesh (54) — all residents of Arachalur, were taken into custody along with Gnanasekaran (36), a jeweller, for their alleged role in the April 28 killing of Ramasamy (72) and his wife Bakkiyam (63) at their farmhouse. The gang also looted 10.75 sovereigns of gold jewellery from the scene.

During interrogation, the trio reportedly confessed to the earlier murder of Deivasigamani (78), his wife Alamathal (74), and their son Senthil Kumar (44) in Tirupur on November 28, 2024, in a similar modus operandi.

Following their confession, the police detained the three key accused under the Goondas Act. They were lodged in Coimbatore Central Prison and produced before the Kodumudi Magistrate Court on Friday.

The court granted a three-day custody for further interrogation. Police are now investigating whether the accused have been involved in any other unsolved crimes in the region.