THOOTHUKUDI: T Elisabeth, the 77-year-old mother of lorry driver Selvan (28) who was beaten to death allegedly by a former AIADMK party functionary, died in Thoothukudi on Monday night.
Sources close to the family said that she died at around 9 pm Monday, less than two weeks after Selvan was killed on September 17. Members of her family said that she had been depressed and unable to recover from the shock of his death.
"She was grief-stricken and hasn’t been eating properly since September 17," a relative said. The family was under pressure from before the murder as Thattarmadam police inspector Harikrishnan allegedly foisted false cases against Selvan and his two brothers to facilitate a land grab bid by then AIADMK commerce wing secretary Thirumanavel. Selvan was kidnapped and killed allegedly by Thirumanavel with Harikrishnan’s assistance.
It was based on Elisabeth's complaint that Thisayanvilai police registered an FIR. Elisabeth and relatives were questioned on Friday by the CB-CID sleuths investigating Selvan’s murder.
The case had been transferred from local police to the CB-CID following an agitation by DMK and members of the public. The CB-CID has since booked six people, including Thirumanavel, under Section 364 and 302 of the IPC for kidnap and murder. While Thirumanavel, his brother Muthukrishnan and aides Muthuramalingam and Chinnathurai were arrested, the sleuths are looking for the two other accused. Harikrishnan has been suspended pending inquiry.