Kerala woman held for assaulting mother-in-law

A 37-year-old woman was arrested in this southern district after a video went viral on social media platforms in which she was purportedly seen brutally assaulting her aged mother-in-law, police said on Friday.

The accused, Manju Thomas, was taken into custody on Thursday and her arrest was recorded, they said.

A resident of nearby Thevalkkara, Thomas was booked under Section 24 of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act and 308 of the IPC (attempt to commit culpable homicide), a police officer said.

In the video, the victim, 80-year-old Eliyamma Thomas, could be seen entering a room where Manju Thomas and two minor children were sitting. Thomas could be seen yelling at the old woman, asking her to leave the room and pushing her down from the back. She continues to yell at the mother-in-law when she tried to get up from the floor.

Though it was not clear who took the video, the accused was also seen showing an objectionable gesture towards the person who was shooting during the assault incident.

”She had been reportedly torturing the old woman for some time,” the police officer said.

The accused would be produced before a court on Friday, police added.

Meanwhile, Kerala Human Rights Commission registered a case on its own in the assault incident based on media reports in this regard.

Commission Member V K Beenakumari directed Kollam district police chief to submit a report on the incident in seven days.

Quoting news reports, she said the victim had suffered injuries to her hands and legs.

The accused, Manju Thomas, was working as a teacher in a private school in Chavara here, a Commission statement added.