Salem: Man hacks mom, 2 sisters as marriage eludes siblings

Salem: Deeply frustrated over his family’s inability to find suitable matrimonial match for his sisters and himself, a 34-year-old bachelor of Salem very nearly killed his mother and two sisters by hacking them with a sickle. 

This bizarre incident came to light when 34-year-old Selvakumar, working in Tirunelveli, returned home a few days ago only to attack his family members with the deadly weapon on Saturday, police said.  

The family, headed by Radhakrishnan, hailing from Sornapuri near Salem and working as clerk in a cooperative bank, has been under stress with one of his married daughters, Sankari, 37, rejoining the family after separating from her husband recently. Another daughter Sudarshini has also been living with her parents, even as the mother Esthar Bakiyam tried hard to make both ends meet. 

While both the sisters are working in a textile showroom in Salem, police said Selvakumar, on returning home, agonized over his family’s predicament attacked his mother and two sisters with a sickle, inflicting severe cut injuries on all three, They fell unconscious on the spot and were rushed to the Salem government hospital after Selvakumar himself called the ‘108 ambulance’ for help.    

On information, Pallapatti police rushed to the hospital and took Selvakumar into custody and began questioning him.  The anguished bachelor reportedly told the police that he was worried about his ageing parents and their helplessness in not being able to find a match either for his two sisters or for himself.  Selvakumar also reportedly told the cops he wished to end his life after killing all his family members but later changed his mind. Further investigations are on.