Mother-in-law beaten to death in Delhi for refusing to live in care home, accused arrested

New Delhi [India], May 10 (ANI): The Delhi police arrested a woman for beating her mother-in-law to death with a pressure cooker late last month over wanting to shift the victim to an old-age home, the officials said.

The accused identified as 48-year-old Sarmishta Som was booked for murder in the death case of Harshi Som, police said.

As per the police, Harshi was found dead in the kitchen on April 28 with multiple injuries to her face and skull inside her one-bedroom apartment at Neb Sarai in south Delhi when they reached the spot.

The investigation into the case began after the police received a call from the husband of the accused, Surjit Som, 51, about his mother on the same morning, police said.

"Upon receiving information, the police team reached the spot of the incident at Swastik Apartment, Neb Sarai in New Delhi, where one lady namely Hasi Som aged 86 yrs was found lying in the kitchen having multiple injuries on her face and skull. Her son Surjit Som stated that her mother was suffering from Arthritis for a long time and had problems in walking and could not walk without the help of a stick or helper," the police said in a statement.

The husband and wife used to live in a flat in Swastik Residency, right opposite the apartment of the deceased.

According to police, she earlier used to live with them and their 16-year-old daughter, however, the wife wanted her to be shifted to an old age home as she needed a lot of care and attention.

While the son, who works with an advertising agency, wanted to live close to his mother, he decided to shift her to the nearby flat to look after her, police said.

"He had also installed a CCTV camera inside the room to keep watch over his mother, who suffered from arthritis and faced mobility issues," the police said, adding, "Probe found that Sharmishta, a homemaker, would often quarrel with her husband to send his mother back to Kolkata, where the family originally belonged to."

On the day of the incident, only Sarmishta was present in their flat and the flat of Deceased was locked from the outside, the police added.

The body of the deceased was taken to the AIIMS Mortuary.

"Thereafter autopsy of the deceased was conducted in AIIMs Mortuary, during Post Mortem Doctor told that injuries caused to the deceased are not possible in normal circumstances and detailed enquiry regarding the incident is to be conducted. During post-mortem nail clippings and other exhibits of the deceased were got preserved," the police said.

The police further said that the post-mortem report has been received according to which there are 14 injuries all over the body.

"The cause of death opined as "Heamorrhagic shocks as a result of antemortem injuries sustained to the head, right hand, left upper limb and left lower limb consequent to blunt force impact. All injuries are antemortem in nature and fresh in duration. Injury no.1 to 14 are collectively sufficient to cause death in the ordinary course of nature," the police said.

According to Delhi Police, there is no involvement of the son of the deceased in the murder case though he was aware that the relations between his mother and wife were sour. (ANI)