Teen daughter watches in horror as father allegedly hacks mother to death in Palakkad, Kerala
Palakkad (Kerala): A 16-year-old girl's life was shattered in a matter of minutes after she allegedly watched her father hack her mother to death inside their home in Kerala's Palakkad before later dying by suicide, police said.
The victims were identified as Deepa (38) and her husband, Sukumaran (43). The incident took place around 8.30 pm on Saturday at their residence in Aryampavu.
According to police, Sukumaran, allegedly under the influence of alcohol, returned home and picked a fight with Deepa.
The argument soon escalated into violence, with him allegedly attacking his wife with a sharp weapon as their teenage daughter witnessed the horrific assault.
The girl's screams alerted neighbours, who rushed to the house and shifted Deepa to a hospital in Mannarkad. However, she succumbed to her injuries.
Police said Sukumaran later allegedly died by suicide after inflicting injuries on himself.
A detailed investigation is underway to establish the exact sequence of events and the motive behind the alleged murder-suicide. The bodies will be handed over to the family after post-mortem examinations, officials said.
The Palakkad incident comes less than a month after another chilling case reported on June 3 in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram.
Police alleged that V Suresh (46) fatally slit the throat of his wife, Haseena Beevi (36), at their rented home in Nalanchira following a domestic dispute.
The couple's four children, including their eldest daughter, were at home during the attack.
Suresh fled after the alleged murder and was found dead the next day on a railway track in Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, in what police suspect was a suicide.
(Suicide is not a solution: If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 9152987821, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)