More than a month after a 68-year-old woman went missing in Palakkad's Kozhinjanpara, police have taken into custody two youths accused of murdering her. Investigators suspect the duo killed the woman to steal the gold ornaments she was wearing.

One of the accused, Uday Kumar (19), has been arrested by the Kozhinjanpara police, while the other, a 17-year-old boy, will be produced before the Juvenile Justice Board.

Sarasal, who lived alone at her house in Attayambathi, next door to her daughter Baby, was reported missing on June 10. After failing to trace her for two days, Baby lodged a missing person complaint with the Kozhinjanpara police. "She went missing on June 10. When we could not find her even two days later, I filed a complaint with the police," Baby told Onmanorama.

According to Ambika, the ward member of Attayampathi ward in Vadakarapathy panchayat, suspicions have emerged that she was murdered by two youths.

"The youths allegedly took the woman to one of their houses and struck her on the head to steal the gold ornaments she was wearing.

According to Pradap, an Assistant Sub-Inspector with the Palakkad Special Branch, the youths were taken in for questioning, during which they allegedly confessed to the crime. "We then took them to the spot and proceeded with the inquest," he told Onmanorama.

After murdering the woman, the accused wrapped her body in a plastic sheet and took it to a bathroom, the ASI said. "After setting the body on fire, the youths put the remains in a sack and buried them in a pit they had dug in the backyard," he added.

According to the police, the post-mortem examination has been completed, and the remains have been sent for further scientific analysis.