‘Depressed’ woman held for murdering mother-in-law

The arrested was identified as Saraswathi from Ganesh Nagar in Aadambakkam. Police said Saraswathi was suffering from depression and she was getting treatment for the last few years. She was married to Saravanan (52) working in the Perambur government treasury as an assistant and the couple has a 23-year-old son. Saravanan’s mother, the deceased Sulochana (77) was also living with them in Adambakkam.

Since Saraswathi was suffering from depression, Sulochana would ask his son and grandson not to talk to Saraswathi. She also would force her to stay in a separate room and used to call her names. Saraswathi was very depressed since she could not spend time with her husband and son.

On Monday around 9 pm, when Saravanan and his son returned home, they found the door locked from inside and the lights were not on. Since there was no response even after repeated knocks they broke open the door and found Saraswathi sitting in the dark while Sulochana was lying unconscious inside the room with injuries.

Sulochana was rushed to a private hospital where the doctors declared her ‘brought dead’. Police said during a quarrel in the afternoon Saraswathi attacked Sulochana on her forehead with a metal box after which Sulochana fell unconscious and died.