The in-laws of Mavelikkara native Mahesh, who is accused of hacking to death his daughter Nakshatra, have expressed suspicion over the death by suicide of the victim's mother three years ago.
Nakshatra, aged six, had been attacked with an axe Wednesday night allegedly by Mahesh. His mother also sustained injuries while trying to intervene.
Mahesh's wife Vidya had died by suicide three years ago. "We suspect it was a murder," Vidya's father Lakshmanan told Manorama News. Vidya's family has planned to lodge a complaint to probe the suicide case.
Lakshmanan said they did not raise the allegation earlier out of consideration for young Nakshatra. "We did not file a case because we thought though the child's mother is no more, at least she has her father."
Vidya's mother Rajasri said Nakshatra was not allowed to visit them. "She had not visited us for two years. We used to go there, we went two weeks ago too," Rajasri said.
Lakshmanan has claimed that before she was murdered, Nakshatra had told Mahesh that she wanted to visit her grandparents.
"They argued. Mahesh's mother had gone to her daughter's house nearby. She heard Nakshatra scream after Mahesh hacked her. He had not returned home, we doubt he was on drugs," said Lakshmanan.
On Thursday, Mahesh attempted suicide by slashing his throat inside the prison. He is hospitalised.
