Daily wage worker kills ailing mom, self in Chennai

CHENNAI:  A 53-year-old daily wage labourer murdered his ailing 80-year-old mother and then died by suicide in Guindy because he was allegedly unable to take care of her after losing his job during the lockdown.

The deceased Mary and Arokiaraj were living in Venkatapuram and he was a bachelor. “On Friday, a foul odour emanated from their house and since the door was locked it was broken open. Mary was found dead in the kitchen and Arokiaraj was found with his throat slit,” said a police officer.

Police inquired their relative Suganthi from Little Mount and she told police that she last met Arokiaraj on Thursday when he reportedly told her that he has been struggling to take care of his bedridden mother. Police after investigation said that Arokiyaraj must have killed Mary out of frustration before ending his life.

Guindy police have registered a case under suspicious death and murder and sent the bodies for a postmortem. A probe is on.

(Assistance for those having suicidal thoughts is available on Tamil Nadu’s health helpline 104 and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050).