Wife, mother-in-law get life imprisonment for killing man with hot water in Tiruchy

TIRUCHY: Tiruchy court on Wednesday awarded life imprisonment to a woman and her mother for murdering the former’s husband by pouring hot water over him when he was sleeping outside the house under the influence of alcohol.

The deceased was identified as R Selvaraj (27), from Burma Colony in Tiruverumbur. Selvaraj, a construction coolie, married S Diana Mary (23), on May 20, 2018, and the couple has no children. Selvaraj who is an alcoholic used to engage in frequent quarrels with Diana Mary.

Against such a backdrop, in March 2023, Selvaraj who came home fully drunk picked up a quarrel with his wife and the irate Diana Mary left for her maternal house at Bharathipuram in Tiruchy.

Selvaraj, on March 5, 2023, went to his mother-in-law Innaciammal’s house and asked her to send his wife with him. However, both Innaciammal and Diana Mary denied him entry into the house and closed the doors. Selvaraj didn’t return home but was sleeping outside the house.

At around 2 am, Diana Mary saw Selvaraj sleeping in front of her house. Angered by this sight, she boiled water in a huge utensil and carried the hot water with the help of her mother Innaciammal. Both poured it on Selvaraj who was fast asleep. Unable to bear the heat, Selvaraj screamed for help but both Diana Mary and Innaciammal stayed inside the house while the neighbours rescued him and rushed him to the Tiruchy GH where he succumbed to the burns despite treatment.

Tiruverumbur police registered a case and arrested Diana Mary and her mother Innaciammal. The case was in progress with Tiruchy Principal Sessions Court. On Wednesday, Judge Swaminathan after hearing the case awarded life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1,000 to both Diana Mary and Innaciammal. Subsequently, they were lodged in a special prison for women.