Kochi | A man was on Thursday taken into custody after he allegedly tried to bury the body of his mother inside the compound of their house near Vennala here without informing anyone, police said.

An officer of Palarivattom police station here said that neighbours informed them about the man attempting to bury the body of his mother, who was 78-years-old.

The officer said that the man was in custody and being questioned to find out what happened.

"The cause of death of his mother is not yet known," he said.

One of the neighbours of the man told TV channels that they saw him dig a grave in the yard of his house in the morning and then trying to bury his mother's body in it.

"The president of the residents association informed the police about it," he said.

Neighbours also said that there are frequent instances of fights between the man and his mother.

The man runs a tyre shop and is estranged from his wife, one of the neighbours said.