AN AUTORICKSHAW driver allegedly stabbed his father to death after the latter attempted to attack his wife with a knife in Chunaravad area of Rajkot city, police said on Wednesday, even as the driver’s family members initially claimed that the incident was a case of suicide.

Police said that Raju Makwana, (45), a resident of Rajkot, was rushed to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Hospital, popularly called civil hospital, by his wife Geeta and elder son Ajay around 9:30 am. However, doctors declared Raju brought dead.

“Geeta and Ajay had initially told police that Raju had inflicted wounds on himself in a bid to commit suicide. However, the nature of the stab wounds suggested that they could have been caused by someone else. Therefore, we rounded up Geeta, Ajay and Raju’s younger son Rohit.

During questioning, Rohit confessed he had attacked his father after the latter attempted to assault Geeta with a knife,” GM Hadiya, police inspector of Thorala said.

Hadiya said that Raju and his married sons, Ajay and Rohit, earn their livelihood by driving autorickshaws in the city. They live in a joint family in Shivajinagar in Chunaravad area of the city. “Raju had a habit of consuming marijuana and alcohol and would often quarrel with his wife and rest of family members over his habit. As marijuana is a banned substance, it is not easily available. On Wednesday, Raju had demanded that Geeta help him with her gold butiya (ornaments worn in earlobes), so that he may purchase marijuana. When she refused, Raju rushed at her with a knife. However, Rohit intervened, snatched the knife away from his father and stabbed him 15-17 times,” Hadiya further said.