KOCHI: “When I saw him, a drug addict, beating his diseased mother, I could not control myself. When I tried to prevent him from beating, he started tussling with me and accidently he got stabbed,” these are the words of Lawrence, who is accused of killing a youth who had allegedly tried to beat up his mother in Palarivattom.

Lawrence earlier gave the statement to the police that he had committed the murder for self-defence.

Soon after the incident, he himself informed the police about the murder. Though the victim Thobiyas was rushed to hospital, his life could not be saved due to excessive bleeding. Four stiches were applied on wounds found on his body. The death occurred when the doctors were trying to apply the fifth stich.

The police said Thobiyas very often quarrelled with his parents after coming under the influence of narcotic drugs. “On the day of the murder also, he quarrelled with his parents and ended up losing his life. Thobiyas sustained stab injuries after the tussle happened in the midnight between him and Lawrence, who provoked by the other’s attempt to assault his mother.