Man held for hacking mother-in-law to death, injuring wife and her sister

JAMMU: A man allegedly hacked his mother-in-law to death besides critically injuring his wife and her sister with an axe over a family dispute in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district, police said on Monday.

The accused, Suresh Kumar, fled after attacking the trio at Kiya village on Sunday night but was arrested within 12 hours and booked under the relevant sections of law, they added.

Kumar attacked his mother-in-law Shanti Devi, wife Lalita, and sister-in-law Anju Devi with an axe before fleeing the scene leaving the victims in a pool of blood.

While the doctors at a nearby hospital declared Shanti Devi brought dead, Lalita and Anju Devi were referred to the district hospital for specialised treatment, police said.

The accused’s brother-in-law, Rakesh, claimed that Kumar was under the influence of liquor when he came to their home and fatally attacked his mother, besides injuring Lalita and Anju Devi.

He also said that his sister came home a few days back after a fight with Kumar over some issue, and the latter was pressing her to return.

“He (Kumar) should be handed an exemplary punishment for killing my mother and injuring my sisters,” Rakesh said. (PTI)