Malappuram: A dispute over making tea turned fatal in Kerala’s Malappuram district on Monday, leaving a 28-year-old woman dead and her two young daughters traumatised after witnessing the attack inside their home.

The incident occurred around 6.30am at Koottampara near Nilambur. The victim, Rajila, wife of Sunil Babu, was allegedly attacked by her mother-in-law, Shantha, following an argument in the kitchen.

Shantha is alleged to have been angered after the tea she made was thrown away by Rajila. The altercation escalated quickly, with Shantha allegedly using a machete to hack her daughter-in-law.

Rajila sustained critical injuries. Her two daughters, aged 10 and four, were present in the house and reportedly tried to intervene but could not stop the assault.

Sunil Babu, an autorickshaw driver, was away at work when the incident took place.

Children’s cries alert neighbours

Neighbours rushed to the house after hearing the children screaming. They found Rajila lying in a pool of blood in a bedroom, while the children were crying nearby. Locals alleged that Shantha was washing blood off her hands at the time and did not respond when questioned about what had happened.

Rajila was taken to Nilambur District Hospital under the supervision of local representatives, but she succumbed to her injuries. Some residents claimed she had died even before reaching the hospital.

Her body was later shifted to Manjeri Medical College for post-mortem. It was brought to a relative’s house in Koyilamunda by evening.

Arrest, evidence recovery and investigation

Police who arrived at the scene reportedly found Shantha still standing there, wearing a nighty (nightgown) soaked in blood. She was immediately taken into custody, and her arrest was later recorded after interrogation. A case has been registered under BNS Section 103(1) (murder), and questioning is ongoing.

Police recovered the weapon used in the attack from beneath a stove in the kitchen during an evidence-gathering exercise conducted in the evening.

The probe team included officers from Pookkottumpadam police station, along with forensic experts, a fingerprint specialist and a photographer, who collected material evidence from the site.

Rajila was the daughter of Rajan and Vatsala. Her children, Theertha Sunil and Hridika Sunil, are now left without their mother.