Thiruvananthapuram: In a chilling act of violence, a retired Coast Guard officer allegedly murdered his 76-year-old mother at their home in Kalliyoor late on Wednesday night after a drunken quarrel with her. 

The victim, Vijayakumari, was found dead with deep cut injuries all over her body at her residence, Lakshmi Nivas, in Pakaloor.

Her son, Ajayakumar, who has a long history of alcohol addiction, was arrested by the Nemom Police after the shocking incident.

According to the police, only the mother and son lived in the house.

Around 11 p.m., Ajayakumar consumed a bottle of liquor and reached for another, prompting a heated argument with his old mother, who tried to stop him from drinking further.

Enraged by this, he reportedly grabbed a kitchen knife and attacked her while she was eating an apple.

Vijayakumari ran out of the house to save herself, but Ajayakumar chased her into the courtyard near the well in the house and stabbed his mother multiple times.

He allegedly slit her throat and cut the tendons in her hands and legs before attempting to pour liquor over the body and set it ablaze.

Neighbours, alerted by the elderly woman's screams, rushed to the spot and informed the police.

When they tried to intervene, the accused hurled a liquor bottle at them before being subdued.

The police later collected CCTV footage showing parts of the incident.

Investigators said Ajayakumar had undergone several rounds of treatment at de-addiction centres and was staying with his mother following strained relations with other family members.

As a retired Coast Guard officer, he had access to liquor through military canteens and had stocked multiple bottles at home.

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Police believe the immediate provocation was his mother’s warning against opening a second bottle of liquor after the first.

Vijayakumari, a former employee at the Commissioner’s Office, is survived by two other children.

The Nemom Police have registered a case of murder and taken Ajayakumar into custody. (IANS)