Meerut, Feb. 25 -- A woman allegedly beat her 45-year-old husband to death in connivance with her daughter over a domestic dispute in Chhoti Bihar locality under Izzatnagar police station limits in Bareilly. The accused who committed the crime on Sunday, claimed they acted in self-defense. Police arrested the accused duo on Monday and they were sent to jail on Tuesday after being produced before the court. The deceased has been identified as Balkaram who worked as a labourer. Police reached the house after a neighbour alerted them, and discovered Balkaram's blood-soaked body lying on the floor. The body was taken into custody and sent for post-mortem examination. During questioning, his 42-year-old wife Rekha and 20-year-old daughter Pinki initially attempted to mislead investigators, but later confessed after sustained interrogation. According to their statement, Balkaram was an alcoholic who frequently assaulted family members and quarreled with neighbours while drunk. The daughter alleged that on the day of the incident he returned home intoxicated and began beating her mother with a stick. She claimed he pinned her mother down and could have killed her, prompting her to strike him with a stick to save her. She further stated that he then attacked both of them, after which the two retaliated in self-defense, beating him until he died. Police said the family had allegedly planned to cremate the body without informing authorities. Meanwhile, Balkaram's 23-year-old son Ajay and 16-year-old daughter Chandni were reportedly furious with their mother and sister over the killing and did not even arrive at the mortuary to claim the body. Relatives eventually took charge of the proceedings. Inspector Vijendra Singh said the post-mortem report documented 18 injury marks across Balkaram's body from head to toe. Police arrested the mother and daughter on murder charges. "They have been sent to jail, following court orders," he said....