The 80-year-old man who was brutally stabbed in an attack linked to a domestic violence case taken up by his lawyer son against one of the assailants, succumbed to his injuries on Monday night. The deceased, Mohandas, was the father of advocate TM Dolgo.

Following his death, Njarackal police added murder charges against the accused, who were initially booked for attempt to murder and criminal trespass.

Mohandas was attacked at his residence at Murikkumpadam near Puthuvype around 5.30 pm on August 13. He suffered around eight to nine stab wounds, including serious injuries to his kidney, pancreas, chest and neck.

Following the attack, police arrested two local residents, Duster alias Velu and Dynaster alias Vavakkutty. They will now face murder charges. The police said both accused have several criminal cases pending against them.

According to Dolgo, the attack was the fallout of a matrimonial dispute involving the first accused, Duster, and his estranged wife. The woman had approached his office after allegedly being assaulted and driven out of her home by her husband.

She had been running a small shop near a bus stop but was subsequently prevented from entering the premises, leaving her without a place to stay.

The couple already had matrimonial cases pending before the North Paravoor court, including petitions seeking divorce and the return of gold ornaments, Dolgo said.

The advocate alleged that the woman's husband had slashed her neck around two weeks ago, following which she fled and took shelter in Kuzhuppilly.

Dolgo's office subsequently helped the woman obtain a domestic violence protection order from the Njarackal Judicial First Class Magistrate Court on Wednesday, a day before the attack.

Dolgo alleged that the accused was enraged by the court order and had warned the family against intervening in the marital dispute before attacking his father.