Kendrapara, Sept. 2: A 75-year-old widow from a well-to-do family was found murdered with her hands and legs tied in her house at Badapalagada, nearly 20km from here.

Police suspect robbery to be the motive behind Swarnalata Samantray’s murder, committed late last night. A priest, who visits her house to perform daily puja, today spotted the body and informed local people.As the widow was an affluent, it appears to be a pre-planned murder with a purpose to steal valuables and cash from the house, the police said.Gold jewellery, worn by the widow, have been missing. All household articles were lying scattered. The assailants had broken open a steel almirah. The exact amount of stolen articles and valuables are yet to be ascertained.

“It is suspected that a group of migrant labourers, who had taken the widow’s kuccha houses on rent, could be involved. The killers had access to her house and they were aware where the money and valuables were kept. Three persons, who were staying as tenants in a kuccha house, are absconding, giving rise to suspicion about their involvement,” said a police officer.

“The exact cause behind her death will be ascertained after the post-mortem report is received. She was smothered with a pillow, and she died of strangulation. No weapons seem to have been used. There are bruises on her ears and neck. No bloodstain was found from the spot,” he said.

Swarnalata was staying alone in the double-storey building near Badapalagada traffic junction between Paradip and Daitari on the NH-5.The deceased’s only son and daughter-in-law are based in the US. They are working in the IT sector. Her daughter and son-in-law live in Bhubaneswar.