A drunk man allegedly thrashed his 75-year-old father to death over water problems. (File)
A drunk man allegedly thrashed his 75-year-old father to death over the father not storing water in southwest Delhi's Bindapur, police said. The deceased Ramkumar had failed to fill the water tank on Friday evening. When he told 40-year-old Chetan since he was not feeling well he could not do so, his son got angry and allegedly rained blows on him, police said. Many of the neighbours who heard the old man's cries did not come to his rescue and those who intervened were allegedly warned against it by the inebriated son, police added.
Ramkumar, a line-man from MTNL, owned two houses in Khushi Ram Park. One of the houses was occupied by Chetan. After Ramkumar's wife died and his son's wife left him, he was made to do all the household chores and was thrashed if he did not agree.
Chetan, an e-rickshaw driver, returned home around 10 pm on Friday and was watching television.
Chetan's 14-year-old daughter, Tanya, who is an eyewitness, told police that he sat inside his room and poured liquor in his glass. He asked her to get him a glass of water, but she told him that there was no water at home.
Chetan went to his father's room and started shouting. When Chetan's father opened the door, he asked him for water so he could add it to his liquor. The old man said that he could not fill the tank since he was unwell. He also said the water that was stored was for household usage and not for adding to liquor, police said. Chetan allegedly picked up a stick and started beating Ramkumar. The old man collapsed and died on the spot.
Residents of the area told police that there had been no water supply in the area for the last couple of days.
"We registered a case under sections of murder soon after we received a complaint and the man was arrested from his house," said Surender Kumar, DCP (southwest).