Nagpur: A 70-year-old man allegedly hacked his 42-year-old daughter-in-law to death with an axe at their home at Pahune Layout before jumping into a well in a suicide attempt. The accused used to have frequent arguments with the victim, suspecting her of practising witchcraft.The victim, Lakshmi Pali, was a widow who had a 19-year-old son and a 21-year-old daughter. The accused, Nathulal Pali, blamed Lakshmi for performing black magic on her husband, Ravishankar, who died in 2019. The accused had earlier attempted to kill Lakshmi on Sept 9, but she managed to flee, said Yashodhara Nagar police.Around 12.30 pm on Saturday, Nathulal allegedly struck Lakshmi on the head with an axe after an argument, killing her on the spot. Nathulal then jumped into the well behind the house in an attempt to take his own life. But he remained afloat while clinging on to a stone, said police.Neighbours and family members raised an alarm. Fire brigade personnel rescued Nathulal, who was rushed to Mayo Hospital. The accused remains under police watch at the hospital, said senior inspector Yunush Chand Shaikh. Further details on his medical condition and formal arrest formalities are awaited.Police sources said the accused, who suffered from joint pain, had been showing signs of mental disturbance. His wife too lives separately. He levelled allegations of black magic against the victim, said police.Police are recording statements of family members and neighbours to reconstruct the sequence of events. A case of murder has been registered. Crime Branch senior inspector Vinayak Golhe too visited the spot.
