Mattathur, Thrissur: A police probe into the recent matricide here has revealed that a dispute over Rs 2 lakh led to the crime. 

Vishnu, 24, had strangled his mother, 54-year-old Shobana, and then smashed her head with a gas cylinder. He eyed the money she had received from the sale of a property. 

Recently, Shobana had sold 11 cents of land and a house at Thalupadam for Rs 8 lakh. Of this, Shobana had deposited Rs 2.34 lakh in her son's bank account, but he began squandering the money on online deals and lottery.

Shobana objected and demanded the money back. She compelled him to withdraw Rs 2 lakh from the account. Shobana kept the withdrawn money and that proved to be the bone of contention. 

A quarrel ensued when Vishnu pestered his mother for the money. In a fit of rage he strangled his mother. To make sure she was dead, he picked up the gas cylinder and hit it on her head.  

The brutal incident happened at Kizhakke Kodaly in Mattathur Grama Panchayat in Thrissur district.

After committing the murder, the youth went to the police station and surrendered. He did not take the cash either. Police found the money at Shobana’s house. 

Police said Vishnu is drug addict. He has been remanded. Now, the police would seek his custody for evidence collection.

After postmortem, Shobana's body was cremated at the Koratty panchayat crematorium. 

The police inquest was led by Kodakara Staion House Officer Jayesh Balan.