The Tambaram bus terminus in Chennai bore witness to a gruesome murder on Tuesday evening as a man hacked his mother to death and attacked his sister, allegedly over property dispute. The accused has been identified as Devarajan and the deceased, Muthamma.
According to news reports, 77-year-old Muthamma and her husband Palayam lived in Kayarambedu, near Guduvancherry, until his death a few years ago. They had five kids including Devarajan and his 55-year-old Vijayalakshmi. After his death, Muthamma inherited the two-acre land owned by her husband and had decided to divide it equally among her children except Devarajan since he was not taking care of her.
Devarajan had filed a case in the Chengalpattu district civil court against his mother and sister seeking share in the property. The case came up for hearing on Tuesday when Muthamma and Vijayalakshmi were present.
In the court, Muthamma stated that Devarajan was not taking care of her and that he did not take care of her husband when he was alive. She also told that it was her daughter who was taking care of her after her husband passed away and hence she did not consider Devarajan to get a share in the property. Her statement was recorded by the Judge who then adjourned the matter to Wednesday.
After the proceedings on Tuesday, Muthamma and Vijayalakshmi reached Tambaram from Chengalpattu and boarded a bus to go to Kovur, where Vijayalakshmi lived. As they boarded the bus and sat inside it, Devarajan entered the bus with a billhook and went near Muthamma and attacked her multiple times. He also attacked Vijayalakshmi who tried to push him away from their mother. As Muthamma slumped to the floor of the bus bleeding, Devarajan got down from the bus and started running. The people in the terminus called an ambulance and alerted the police. The police arrived and nabbed Devarajan who was caught by the people in the terminus.
Though Muthamma and Vijayalakshmi were taken to Chromepet Government Hospital, Muthamma was pronounced dead on arrival. Doctors in Chromepet referred Vijayalakshmi to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital and her condition is said to be critical.