An 85-year old woman was strangled to death in her house in the city, reportedly for her two sovereign gold bangles.

When Karunakaran, the grandson of the woman, Palaniammal, went to meet her this morning, he found the front door of the house in Gandhipuram, in heart of the city, open. He saw that she was lying dead, with a piece of cloth around her neck, police said.

The woman’s daughter and neighbours rushed to the spot on hearing about it and informed the police, who arrived at the scene with sniffer dogs and fingerprint experts.

Since the bangles worn by the woman were missing, police suspect the murder could be for gain and the handiwork of a known person. Three special teams have been formed to nab the culprits.