Thiruvananthapuram: A 23-year-old engineering student, here, was arrested on Thursday by the police for the murder of his 51-year-old mother.

The state police arrested Akshay Ashok, after keeping him in custody for two days, following his confession of the brutal act.

His mother, Deepa's charred body was found from the waste yard of their house on Tuesday morning.

Ashok himself had alerted the police on Tuesday stating that a charred body was found in their backyard. He also said that his mother was missing since Monday evening.

The police took him into custody after they found him changing his statements.

During the interrogation, Ashok confessed that he and his mother were not on talking terms and on Monday afternoon, he had pushed her down. He then using a bed sheet strangulated her to death, he told the police.

According to the police, after he ensured that his mother was dead, he burned her in the place where they normally burn the waste, using petrol.

Ashok has completed his engineering course earlier in 2017, and was waiting to clear a few of the remaining papers. His father was employed in Muscat, while his sister was married and in UAE. 

Both of them have arrived here, after the murder.

The police were awaiting the DNA results of the dead body, as that would confirm Deepa's death.

The body was yet to be handed over to the family. The police was also probing Ashok for drug-use.

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Hyderabad: An 18-year-old youth from Telangana’s Sangareddy district died by suicide after allegedly losing Rs 1 lakh on an online betting application, police said.

According to report published by NDTV on Friday, the deceased, identified as Vikram, was a resident of the Kandukur area. According to police, he consumed insecticide after suffering heavy financial losses through online betting. Vikram's family saw him taking the extreme step and rushed him to a hospital, where he died while undergoing treatment. The police have registered a case.

This is not an isolated case. Just a few weeks ago, a taxi driver in Hyderabad died by suicide after accumulating massive debts due to online betting apps.

The victim, Paladugu Sai (24) from Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district, had reportedly been addicted to betting for nearly two years. He borrowed money from friends, relatives and banks, and was facing debts of around Rs 15 lakh at the time of his death. He too consumed pesticide and died during treatment.

Meanwhile, another similar case was reported from Madhya Pradesh recently. A 32-year-old civil contractor allegedly died by suicide in his house in Bhopal last week after losing nearly Rs 30 lakh in an online game. Police recovered a note from his house stating that he had taken loans to play an online game called Aviator. A case has been registered in that matter as well.

Police and experts have repeatedly warned about the rising menace of online betting and gaming platforms, urging people especially youth to stay away from such activities and seek help in case of addiction or financial distress.

(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the state’s health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416.)