Woman suffering from mental illness stabs mother-in-law to death in Nagpur

The accused had stopped taking medicines in the last few weeks and quarrelled with her family members, reports suggest.

A woman suffering from a mental illness allegedly attacked and killed her 80-year-old mother-in-law at their house in Maharashtra’s Nagpur city, police said on Sunday.

The police have arrested Punam Anand Shikharwar (36), a resident of Gudadhe layout, for the killing that took place on Saturday, an official said.

Punam was suffering from a mental disorder and was put on medication for the same. The accused had, however, stopped taking medicines in the last few weeks and quarrelled with her family members, he said.

In a fit of rage, the accused suddenly attacked her mother-in-law Taradevi with a sharp weapon and slit her throat. She also stabbed the elderly woman multiple times, the official said.

Residents of the locality alerted the police, who sent the body for post-mortem, he said.

A case under section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code was registered against the accused woman, the official added.