KOTTAYAM: A 29-year-old youth beat his father, a cancer patient, to death. The dead is P R Shaji of Cheppumpara Padalungal. The Ponkunnam police have taken his son Rahul Shaji into custody in connection with the incident. Police said there was a verbal dispute between the two for the past two days. Shaji was beaten to death Sunday evening at 4 pm.

A verbal dispute broke out between the two in an inebriated condition. In the meanwhile, Rahul took an iron rod and beat him on his head. He was immediately taken to Kottayam Medical College Hospital but died Monday morning at 8 am. Police said Rahul is an accused in a stab case.