KOCHI: Xavier aka Thankachan who was arrested for murdering his stepmother Mary, 85, of Nereveettil, Major Road, Vyttila, after setting fire to the house on Saturday night, has a record of assaulting her, with the police receiving several complaints earlier regarding this.
According to the police, the 61-year-old accused went about the crime brutally. While there were reports the accused was inebriated when he committed the crime, the police said they have not reached such a conclusion since there was no evidence. According to the police, the incident occurred at 10.45 pm. Xavier locked Mary inside and set fire to the house. According to local residents, Xavier set the house ablaze after pouring kerosene. The house was gutted completely. He was produced before a magistrate on Sunday and remanded to judicial custody. He has been charged under Sections 302 (punishment for murder) and 436 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy house) of the IPC.