Chakur/Chapoli (District Latur):
“You had money to buy gas, but not to pay my competitive exam fee?” - saying this, a youth allegedly killed his father by hitting him on the head with a wooden stick. The shocking incident took place on Tuesday in Himpalner village of Chakur tehsil.
According to the police, the deceased Devidas Kashiram Panchal (70, Himpalner, Chakur taluka) lived in extreme poverty with his wife Sharadabai (60) and son Ajay (24). Devidas and Sharadabai used to sell vegetables and do daily-wage labour to make ends meet. Ajay had studied up to Class 12 and was currently preparing for police recruitment exams. He had been asking his parents for money to pay his exam fee.
On Monday night, Ajay asked his father for the money. Meanwhile, due to rain, the firewood at home had become damp and unusable, and their cooking gas cylinder had run out so Sharadabai bought a new gas cylinder. Seeing this, Ajay argued saying, “You had money for gas but not for my exam fee?”
Sharadabai tried to pacify him saying, “We had no money left because we had to buy the gas. The firewood was soaked and the stove wouldn’t light. That’s why I bought the cylinder. Calm down… I’ll try to arrange the money from somewhere tomorrow morning.”
However, Ajay insisted he wanted the money immediately. As he didn’t get it, he again fought with his father at dawn on Tuesday. In a fit of rage, he struck his father on the head with a wooden stick. Devidas collapsed on the spot and died instantly.
When the mother screamed, the neighbours rushed in. Police officers including Dy SP Ravindra Chaudhar, PI Balaji Bhande, and API Murlidhar Murkute visited the spot and conducted an inspection. Devidas is survived by his wife, son and a married daughter. Based on a complaint lodged by Sharadabai, Chakur police have registered a case of murder against the son.