TIRUVANNAMALAI: A 78-year-old woman died after his son forcibly ripped off her four-gram gold studs from her ears, tearing her earlobes in the process, near Vandavasi in Tiruvannamalai district. The victim was identified as M Mangalatsumi, a resident of Pathiri village near Vandavasi. Her son, M Elumalai,47, is a truck driver. Vandavasi (north) police arrested him. According to police sources, Elumalai visited his mother in an inebriated condition on July 28 and demanded money to buy alcohol. Mangalatsumi, who was living alone after the death of her husband Manickam a few years ago, expressed her inability to give him cash. An enraged Elumalai assaulted her and tore the four-gram gold earrings from her ears and fled the scene. Mangalatsumi bled profusely from severe earlobe injuries. She was rescued by neighbours and admitted to the Vandavasi govt general hospital for treatment. However, her condition deteriorated, and she succumbed to her injuries on July 31. Mangalatsumi’s daughter, Irusammal of Palaya Panthamangalam village near Vandavasi, lodged a complaint with the Vandavasi (north) police. Police booked the truck driver on charges of murder and arrested him on Saturday morning. He remanded in judicial custody.
