Kasaragod: A 63-year-woman, who was repeatedly hit on her head allegedly by her adult son when she questioned his incessant phone usage, died after two days in hospital on Saturday, October 14. The 34-year-old son has been diagnosed with intellectual disabilities, said Nileshwar Station House Officer - Inspector K Premsadan, who arrested him.
Rukmini T (63), a resident of Kanichira, a residential colony on the border of Nileshwar and Kanhangad municipalities, was repeatedly hit on the head with a plank in the early hours of October 12, said the officer.
The attack started around 1 am but the police got the call only around 3 am, he said. Though there were several houses nearby neighbours did not hear her cries for help because of heavy rain, he said. When the neighbours rushed in hearing the commotion, the young man charged at them with the bloodied plank, said the officer. He was overpowered after the police came.
A seriously injured Rukmini was taken to the Kannur Government Medical College Hospital in Pariyaram where she was under treatment. She had suffered an open skull fracture.
Inspector Premsadan said the son was taken to the District Hospital, where doctors concluded he was not mentally fit. He was also intoxicated, the officer said. "He told us his mother was nagging him over his phone usage and that's why he attacked her," Premsadan said. He used the term 'kiri kiri' for nagging, he said.
The officer then produced the son before the Hosdurg First Class Magistrate Court (II), which sent him to the Government Mental Health Centre at Kuthiravattam near Kozhikode. He is undergoing treatment there.
