Maradu (Kochi): The horrific nature of the murder of an elderly woman by her adult son in their flat at Maradu was revealed by the 'debris' left behind in the house.
The police team probing the murder of 71-year-old Achamma by her son Vinod Abraham found various electronic gadgets destroyed inside the apartment in a rather bizarre fashion.
For instance, the blades of a ceiling fan were found bent and twisted while the cell phone used by the victim lay 'pan-fried' inside the kitchen. The entire apartment was in shambles with damaged gadgets and expensive furniture piled up inside.
Apparently, the accused had developed a bizarre habit of buying electronic goods and destroying them, according to the police.
The police sealed the crime scene, and the body was shifted to the mortuary of nearby Lakeshore Hospital after a postmortem at the Government Medical College, Ernakulam.
The inquest proceedings were completed by Friday noon.
Vinod, accused of the murder, has been remanded by the court.
Funeral delayed
Achamma's funeral services will be held at the Chambakkara church on the arrival of the victim’s daughter, who is an Australian citizen and living there for years.
Police hesitancy proved costly
Meanwhile, the Sub-Inspector of the Maradu police station has been blamed for being indecisive despite arriving at the flat complex hours before the murder sometime after Vinod created a scene.
The Maradu ward councillor has alleged that the police refused to force their way into the house without written consent from the apartment management.
The ward councillor said had the cops acted swiftly the woman might have survived. The Maradu municipality president Antony Ashanparambil and local councillor Sheeja Sankukumar demanded action against sub-inspector Rijin M Thomas for the situation which led to the murder.
city police commissioner K Sethuraman has directed the Special Branch Deputy Superintendent of Police to probe the alleged slip-up by the police.
Achamma was found dead by a team of Maradu police that stormed the flat after a two-hour-long stand-off. As the flat was locked from the inside police took the assistance of the fire and rescue department to force their way in.
The accused who had hacked his mother to death was soon overpowered by the police.
SI's explanation
Responding to allegations, sub-inspector Rijin M Thomas claimed there was no lapse from the police’s side in handling the situation.
“I’ve never sought a letter from anyone to break open the flat. It was not yet clear why the residents’ association handed over such a letter,” he said.
Jinxed family
Achamma and her family, who originally hailed from Thiruvalla, shifted to the Blue Cloud Apartment near the Thuruthy temple in Maradu about 12 years ago. Her husband Abraham had passed away around 35 years ago while another daughter committed suicide later.
Though Vinod is a law graduate, he has not been practising and would always coop himself up indoors. He used to buy food from outside on most occasions.