A 60-year-old woman in a Jalpaiguri tea estate was allegedly bludgeoned to death by her son on Tuesday while a two-year-old girl in Malda died after reportedly being forced to drink pesticide by her mother on Monday evening.

Sources said that Raju Oraon, 42, of Indong tea estate in Jalpaiguri’s Matiali block, reached his home on Tuesday afternoon in an inebriated state and demanded money from his mother Etowari. When the woman refused, he allegedly beat her up with a stick, and when she fell on the ground, he hit her with stones. She died instantly.

Local residents intercepted Raju and trussed him up before informing police. A team from Matiali police station recovered the woman’s body and arrested Raju.

In Malda, two-year-old Shabana of Baishnabnagar was reportedly made to drink pesticide by her mother Taslima Khatun, 28, on Monday evening. Police have detained Taslima, a homemaker, and initiated a probe.

“We suspect Taslima took the step because of a family dispute,” said a police officer.

Sources said that the child started vomiting and was rushed to a nearby health centre and referred to MaldaMedical College & Hospital where she died. The child’s father Nasiruddin Sheikh filed a complaint with Baishnabnagar police against his wifeTaslima.