Boy says he shot dad on impulse

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A day after he shot dead his ex-serviceman father who reprimanded him for poor performance in school, a 17-year-old boy reportedly claimed he had committed the crime on impulse and now realised his mistake.

A. Gowtham, son of Aadiapatham of Mela Mariammankoil Street, Sirkazhi, was studying in class 12 in a private higher secondary school in Sirkazhi.

Ex-serviceman Aadiapatham was working as security guard at Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited at Panangudi, near Nagapattinam.

After Gowtham’s mother Sitha died six years ago, Aadiapatham married her sister Muthamizh, a few years ago.

Trouble began on Saturday when Aadiapatham scolded Gowtham for not performing well in studies. The boy hit his father with a heavy stick on the head and fled.

Aadiapatham suffered a minor injury, but went to work. When he returned home on Sunday afternoon, he got infuriated seeing his son at home and scolded him again. Then, a quarrel broke out between the two.

In a fit of anger, the boy went to a room, removed his father’s loaded, single-barrel gun and shot him. As the bullet pierced Aadiapatham’s neck, he collapsed and died.

On being informed, Sirkazhi police rushed to the spot, caught the boy and confiscated the gun. They sent the body of Aadiapatham to the government hospital in Sirkazhi.

Gowtham was produced before the juvenile justice board and lodged in the juvenile reformation school, Thanjavur, Monday.

During interrogation, he claimed he had committed the crime on impulse and now realised his mistake, sources said.