70-year-old woman beaten to death by daughter, grandson in Bengaluru over alcohol row

A 70-year-old woman was allegedly beaten to death by her daughter and grandson here after she objected to their alcohol consumption, police said on Tuesday.

The deceased has been identified as Jayamma.

Bhagyalakshmi (49) and Kushal (26) have been taken into custody in connection with the murder that occurred on Monday at an apartment in Kengeri here, police said.

According to police, the elderly woman was allegedly beaten to death with a cricket bat and a wooden stick during the morning hours of June 22 because she was preventing them from consuming alcohol.

When police reached the spot, Jayamma was found lying near the bathroom in the hall, a senior police officer said.

Following a complaint by Dhananjay, a resident of the apartment, a case was registered against the mother-son duo under Sections 103(1) (murder) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, he said.

In his complaint, Dhananjay alleged that Bhagyalakshmi and her son, who lived on the first floor of the apartment had been consuming alcohol and creating disturbances for the past three to four months, the officer said.

As this was causing inconvenience to other residents of the apartment, they had called Kushal’s father, Krishna Naik, and together arranged for Kushal to be sent to a rehabilitation centre, he said.

The complainant stated that a few weeks ago, Kushal returned home, and since then, both mother and son had allegedly resumed drinking and creating disturbances.

Recently, Jayamma had come to stay with them, and for the last three to four days, loud quarrels had frequently been heard from their flat, police said.

On the night of June 21, loud noises and arguments were heard from the house, and Jayamma was heard screaming, according to the complainant, police said, adding that next day she was beaten to death by the accused when she objected to their drinking.

Further investigation is under way.