A couple was found brutally murdered near their house in Madukkarai on Sunday.

While the body of Amalraj, a painter by profession, was found in a bushy area near his house in Veerappanur around 11.30 p.m. last night. The deceased’s wife Lakshmi’s body was recovered from a gunny bag, this morning, police said.

Based on a complaint by the couple’s daughter Nagalakshmi that her parents had not returned home last night, the neighbours searched for them and found Amalraj’s body, which bore deep injuries on head, said to be inflicted with an iron rod. They could not not trace Lakshmi and so informed local police.

Neighbours resumed their search for Lakshmi this morning and found a gunny bag, some 100 metres away from the house and found her body inside it, also with injuries.

Meanwhile, a couple – Rangasamy and Pacchaiyammal – who reportedly had previous enmity with the deceased, were missing from the area and further investigations were on.