Patana/Dhenkikote: A 58-year-old woman was beaten to death allegedly by her nephew over the sharing of ancestral property in Keonjhar district, police said. The incident occurred Friday in Rudhiapada village under Chinamaliposhi panchayat in Patana block.
The deceased was identified as Kaushalya Mohanta, wife of Raju Mohanta. Police arrested the accused nephew, Bidyadhar Mohanta, 56, and launched an investigation, Ghatagaon police station IIC Subharnshu Jena said.
According to sources, a long-standing dispute over the sharing of land existed between the families of the accused Bidyadhar and those of his five uncles. Bidyadhar had alleged that his father, Dalu, was not given a fair share of land by his five brothers and was cheated with a smaller portion, leading to frequent quarrels.
The incident occurred when an argument broke out between Bidyadhar and his aunt Kaushalya over the issue. In a fit of rage, Bidyadhar allegedly picked up a lathi and thrashed his aunt black and blue. The assault left her critically injured.
Family members rushed a critically injured Kaushalya to the Patana Community Health Centre, where doctors pronounced her dead. Her son Sanjay and daughter Dalimba lodged a complaint at the police station, demanding strict punishment for the accused.
Police conducted a post-mortem Saturday and handed over the body to the family members. A case (232/26) has been registered at Ghatagaon police station, and further investigation is underway, the IIC said.
