In Delhi, 86-year-old killed with frying pan, cooker by daughter-in-law

NEW DELHI: A 48-year-old woman has been arrested for killing her bedridden mother-in-law on April 28 by battering her with a frying pan and a pressure cooker in southwest Delhi. The octogenarian had 14 injuries on her body and was hit over a dozen times on her head and face.
Sharmishtha Som was allegedly exasperated at having to take care of her 86-year-old mother-in-law, Hashi Som. Her relationship with her husband had soured over the issue. After deciding to kill the octogenarian, she made it appear like she had fallen and sustained injuries. She almost succeeded, evading police for almost 11 days. But the post-mortem report and footage from a table cam installed in the house nailed her lie.
Sharmishtha lives with her husband, Surjeet Som, 51, and their 16-year-old daughter at Swastik Residency in Neb Sarai. Her mother-in-law lived in Kolkata but since she couldn’t walk and required care, Surjeet brought her to Delhi in March last year. Initially, she lived with the family, but on Sharmishtha’s constant protests, Surjeet moved her to a rented one-room flat opposite his house last October.
He installed a CCTV camera on the bedside table and monitored the feed on his mobile phone. On the day of murder, he was occupied with work and couldn’t check the feedback. He only discovered his mother’s body after reaching home.
The daughter informed the cops that relations between her mother and grandmother were not cordial. Surjeet corroborated this. The cops found the camera, but not the video storage. Surjeet then handed over the memory card of the CCTV camera that he had taken out. The footage showed that at 10.30am on April 28, Sharmishtha entered her mother-in-law’s flat with a pressure cooker and pan. Sounds of screams and of blows being inflicted on the aged woman can be heard. Sharmishtha is later seen cleaning the cooker and pan with a cloth.
“The autopsy report suggests 14 injuries on the victim’s head. The cause of death was haemorrhagic shock as a result of ante-mortem injuries caused by blunt force impact on the head, right hand, left upper limb and left lower limb,” said a police officer. “Sharmishtha was arrested and an FIR for murder registered. The son’s involvement has been ruled out.”