CHENNAI: An 18-year-old youth was arrested for allegedly murdering his mother at their house in Thoraipakkam early on Monday. The police said preliminary inquiry indicated that the teenager had been under mental distress after failing in his Class 12 examination this year.
The deceased has been identified as Chenni Devi (43), wife of Babulal, who runs a pan shop in the locality. Natives of Rajasthan, the couple has been living in the house with their son Rakesh (the suspect) and a 17-year-old daughter who is studying in class 11.
The police said Rakesh had been undergoing treatment for depression at a private hospital. They are yet to find any medical records to substantiate the claim. They added his parents would frequently scold him for failing in the examination.
A police officer told the TNIE, “A few days ago, Babulal left for Rajasthan following the death of his elder brother, leaving Chenni Devi with the two children. Around 2.30 am on Monday, while the family was asleep, Rakesh attacked his mother by strangling her before stabbing her multiple times with a knife and attacking her with a pestle.”
After the attack, Rakesh ran out of the house screaming for help and knocked on the doors of his neighbours and relatives living nearby. They rushed to the house and took Chenni Devi to a private hospital, where the doctors declared her dead on arrival.
Upon receiving information, the Thoraipakkam police reached the spot, sent the body for postmortem, and registered a case. “During the inquiry, Rakesh confessed he went to sleep thinking about how his mother had recently scolded him for not clearing the exams. In the middle of the night, he woke up angry and killed his mother,” the police officer said.Following the arrest, Rakesh was sent for remand later on Monday.
