An elderly woman was beaten to death by her son in Jewar after an argument over a delay in serving food, police said on Thursday. The accused, who is reportedly mentally disabled, has been taken into custody.
The incident occurred on Wednesday in Jewar town, where Kishan allegedly attacked his mother, Rukmini Devi, during a fit of rage. According to police, Kishan repeatedly asked his mother for food while she was preparing the meal. When the food was delayed, he allegedly lost control.
Attack inside the house
Police said Kishan picked up a metal basin lying in the house and struck Rukmini Devi on the head with force. He reportedly hit her multiple times, causing severe head injuries.
Hearing the commotion, neighbours rushed to the house and immediately shifted the injured woman to a nearby hospital. However, she succumbed to her injuries during treatment.
The incident has shocked residents of the locality, who described Rukmini Devi as a quiet and hardworking woman.
History of mental illness
Jewar Police Station in-charge Sanjay Singh said the accused had been undergoing treatment at a mental health hospital in Agra for the past five years.
“He was brought home periodically when his condition showed improvement and readmitted when his health deteriorated,” Singh said. According to the police, Kishan had returned home around five days before the incident.
During this period, he reportedly left the house once and went missing, but was traced by family members after an extensive search and brought back.
Investigation underway
Following the incident, police detained the accused and sent the body of the deceased for post-mortem examination. Further investigation is underway to ascertain the exact sequence of events and medical history.
Officials said appropriate legal and medical procedures would be followed in the case.
The tragedy has once again drawn attention to the challenges faced by families caring for persons with severe mental illness, particularly in the absence of continuous medical supervision and support systems.