A man in Vasai murdered his stepmother in a fit of rage after she refused to give him money for online gaming. His father and uncle later helped conceal the crime, while a doctor who issued a false death certificate has also been booked. The accused buried the woman’s body, which police later exhumed from a burial ground and sent for post-mortem.

The victim, Arshiya Khusru, 61, was a practising lawyer at the Bombay High Court. She was killed by her 32-year-old stepson, Imran Amir Khusru. According to police, the incident occurred on July 26, when Imran visited Arshiya’s home and demanded R1.8 lakh to spend on an online game.

“When Arshiya Khusru refused, Imran became furious and smashed her head against the sharp corner of a wall near the kitchen washbasin. As she screamed in pain, he kicked her in the face, causing her to die on the spot,” said a police officer.