In Bihar, woman beaten to death, eyes, tongue cut out; private parts mutilated

A 45-year-old woman was beaten to death and brutalised allegedly over a land dispute in Bihar’s Khagaria district, the police said.

A case has been lodged against four accused who have been absconding since the incident, an official familiar with the matter said on Sunday.

The incident took place on Saturday evening when the woman was sowing paddy in her field in Mehandipur village and four bike-borne men attacked her. “Four people on two bikes beat up the woman while she was working in the farm, gouged her eyes out with a knife, cut her tongue and mutilated her private parts. She died on the spot,” a police officer quoted an eyewitness as saying.

The victim’s family members have accused five of their neighbours, identified as Mahendra Singh, Rulo Singh, Rajdev Singh, Fulungi Singh and Shyam Kumar Singh.

“The victim’s family is embroiled in a long-standing dispute over a portion of a five-bigha land with five of their neighbours. Nine years ago, the victim’s husband and brother-in-law were killed over the same dispute. The dispute is subjudice, and the accused are currently out on bail,” the officer added.

“The nature of the murder indicates that the killers had deep-rooted hatred against the woman,” station house officer (SHO) Amlesh Kumar said.

Sub divisional police officer Manoj Kumar, who rushed to Mehandipur village soon after the incident, said: “Police have lodged an FIR against all five accused under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 302 (for murder). A search operation has been launched to nab the accused who have been absconding since the incident took place on Saturday.”

One Rahul Kumar Singh, son of accused Mahendra Singh, has been detained in the case for questioning, he added.

Meanwhile, the incident triggered protests in the village where local residents blocked National Highway 31, refusing to cremate the body till the accused are nabbed. Later, however, the villagers agreed to withdraw their stir after police assured them of stringent action.