Man kills daughter-in-law, commits suicide in family feud

Kollegal: Suspecting over his daughter-in-law’s behaviour, a man allegedly stabbed her to death and later committed suicide by hanging self at his house in Adarsh Layout, Kollegal yesterday.

While the deceased woman has been identified as Sumithra (32), wife of Surendra, a Group-D contract worker at Kollegal Sub-Division Hospital, the accused (Sumithra’s father-in-law), who killed her is Chikkahuchaiah (65).

Details: Sumithra, a native of Gudalur near Ooty in Tamil Nadu, was married to Surendra ten years ago and the couple have two sons aged eight and four years. It is learnt that Sumithra used to frequently go to her parents’ house and used to stay there for months. At her husband’s place, she reportedly used to spend her time looking at her mobile phone and never used to lend a helping hand to her mother-in-law in household works.

Police said that this had led to frequent quarrels between Sumithra and her mother-in-law since 5-6 years. It is also learnt that whenever Chikkahuchaiah used to question her, she used to threaten of lodging Police complaint against the  family members.

As the engagement ceremony of Sumithra’s sister was to be held on Mar. 7 at Gudaluru, Sumithra wanted to take her children to her native place, which was opposed by Chikkahuchaiah. This had also led to a quarrel between them.

Chikkahuchaian, who had planned to eliminate Sumithra, took a knife and had got it sharpened yesterday morning, wrote a six-page death note and returned home in the afternoon. He then asked his wife to take the children out and buy them ice cream.

Later, when Sumithra was watching the TV, Chikkahuchaiah first threw chilli powder on her face, stabbed her to death and later hung himself, according to the Police.

When Chikkahuchaiah’s wife returned home along with her grandsons, she found the door locked from inside and on peeping through the window, she found Chikkahuchaiah hanging. 

Later, when the Police arrived and opened the door, they found the body of Sumithra. The Cops, who conducted mahazar, registered a case. Additional SP Anitha Haddannanavar, Circle Inspector Srikanth, Sub-Inspector Tajuddin and staff visited the spot.