COIMBATORE: A 80-year-old woman was killed in broad daylight by her grandson, allegedly over a dispute over accident compensation in Sundarapuram on Monday. The victim, Manonmani, was a resident of Sathiyamoorthi Nagar near Mariamman Temple in Kamaraj Nagar. Her son Murugesan died in a road accident three years ago in Velandhavalam.
Following Murugesan’s death, his family was awarded a compensation of Rs 15 lakh. Of this, Rs 6 lakh was given to his widow Lakshmi, while his sons Sivakumar (25) and Vishnu received Rs 1.5 lakh each.
Manonmani was allotted Rs 1.5 lakh, and the remaining Rs 4 lakh paid as legal fees. According to police sources, tensions within the family had been simmering for months. Sivakumar, Murugesan’s elder son, had been pressuring his grandmother to hand over her share of the compensation since November last year, and arguments grew between them.
On Monday, around 1.30 pm, the dispute took a drastic turn as Sivakumar allegedly confronted his grandmother outside her home, demanding the money. When she refused, he allegedly took a knife from inside the house and attacked her, fatally slitting her throat before fleeing the scene. Despite efforts to rush Manonmani to a nearby government hospital, she succumbed to her injuries. Sundarapuram police have launched an investigation.