The deceased has been identified as Karamjeet Kaur.

A 'drug addict' allegedly killed his mother with a spade at Himmatpura village in Punjab's Moga district on Friday morning, police said. The deceased has been identified as Karamjeet Kaur.

According to police, the woman suffered multiple deep injuries in the attack and she died at the spot. "The accused Satwinder Singh was living in Sweden but he had returned here in recent months. He used to be under mental stress and he attacked his mother with a spade," Deputy Superintendent of Police Manjeet Singh said.

As per locals, Karmajit Kaur was a widow and had mortgaged her jwellery to raise money for sending Satwinder to Sweden for work. The accused returned from Sweden last month and had started taking drugs there.

Police was alerted about Karamjeet Kaur's death by Satwinder's younger brother Varinder Singh. A case of murder has been registered against the accused.

Drug problem has been a major poll issue in Punjab.

Earlier this year, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had said his government was taking strong measures to curb drug abuse in the state.

"More than 28,000 drug peddlers have been arrested with the help of the special task force," he had claimed, adding that the menace was being eliminated through the twin initiatives of "enforcement and treatment".

In the last two-and-a-half-years, more than 160 people have died due to drug overdose. A 2015 survey conducted by the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre, AIIMS, put the figure of dependent users in need of treatment at 3.2 lakh. The latest survey by the same body released earlier this year said the number has gone up to 7.2 lakh.