Missing Elderly Woman's Dead Body Found Tied Up, Gagged Inside Neighbor's Closet

The dead body of a missing 80-year-old woman in India was found tied up and gagged inside a neighbor's closet. The woman's jewelry was missing.

Cops are on the lookout for the neighbor, a 26-year-old woman named Paval Khan, who is believed to have stolen the victim's jewelry before fleeing.

The disturbing incident happened on the outskirts of India's tech capital Bengaluru.

The elderly woman, identified as Parvathamma, moved in with her son and his family some months back. They were living on the second floor of a building while the suspect was staying on the third floor, Deccan Herald reported.

"Parvathamma had moved with her family to a rented house on the second floor of a building about nine months ago and the accused lived on the third floor of the building for 10 months," police said, reported the New Indian Express.

Parvathamma went out Friday evening to buy something but she did not return. The 80-year-old was wearing jewelry worth around $4,254 when she stepped out of the house.

Family members began searching for Parvathamma after she failed to return home. Khan had also joined them in the search for the missing woman.

Parvathamma's son grew suspicious after he noticed Khan's door was locked the next day. Her cell phone was also switched off.

"My wife had heard my mother speak to Paval around 5.30 p.m. on the day she disappeared. Initially, we did not suspect the woman because she had often visited us at our home in the past," Parvathamma's son said, local daily Hindustan Times reported.

Khan had invited the woman over to her house several times in the past as well.

Cops contacted the apartment's owner and opened Khan's door using a spare key. They found Parvathamma's body inside her closet. The elderly woman was found gagged with her limbs tied up.

The woman's son said the gold chain, nose ring and earrings that his mother was wearing were all missing. Police believe Khan strangled the woman before stealing her jewelry and escaping.

"It appears to be a murder for gain. We are looking for the killer," police added.