Man pours acid on mother-in-law, slits her throat; lynched by locals in Tamil Nadu: Cops

A 40-year-old man, who poured acid over an elderly woman and killed her in Tamil Nadu’s Namakkal district , was stoned to death by neighbours while he tried to throw another bottle of acid on them, police said on Saturday.

The man killed the woman as he wanted to take away her grand daughters, also his step-daughters, all between 18 and 24 years of age, and she wouldn’t let him do so. Police said the incident occurred between 12 AM and 2 AM on Saturday at Gurusamypalayam village in Namakkal district. “The man has been identified as Samuel from Dharmapuri and the woman he killed was Dhanammal,” said a police officer with Puduchathiram police station in Namakkal district.

Samuel was married to Vasanthi, a widow, whose three daughters from her earlier marriage lived with their grandmother, 75-year-old Dhanamamal, in Gurusamypalayam.

Late on Friday, Samuel reportedly went to Dhanammal’s house with acid bottles, knives, and machetes. “He demanded that the three women be sent with him. When Dhanammal refused, Samuel started arguing with her. Soon, neighbours had gathered outside the house,” the inquiry officer said. Samuel then threatened the public gathered outside. By the time a police team arrived, Samuel had slit Dhanammal’s throat and poured acid over her, killing her on the spot. People began pelting stones on Samuel who hurled acid on them, leaving 30 people, including police personnel, injured.

The crowd attacked Samuel with large boulders. The police team was outnumbered and so, couldn’t control the situation.

“Samuel fainted. Police rushed him to a nearby hospital where doctors declared him brought dead,” the officer said. Dhanammal and Samuel’s bodies were sent to Rasipuram government hospital for post-mortem. Cases have been registered against Samuel and an inquiry is on.