A 70-year-old woman was injured after an unidentified intruder allegedly slit her ears and escaped with her earrings while she was asleep at her house in Perumpedu village near Ponneri on Friday. The police later found that the stolen earrings were not made of gold.

The victim, Lakshmi, was sleeping inside her house with the door left open for ventilation when the incident took place. The suspect allegedly entered the house, cut both her earlobes, snatched the earrings she was wearing, and fled the scene.

Lakshmi woke up in pain and raised an alarm, following which neighbours rushed to her house and found her bleeding from both ears. She was taken to the Government Hospital in Ponneri for treatment. Ponneri police visited the spot and began an investigation.

A special team has been formed to trace and arrest the suspect. The police are analysing CCTV camera footage from nearby areas and questioning local residents as part of the probe.