Six people have been arrested for allegedly beating a 41-year-old woman to death following a dispute over Rs 500 in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district, news agency Press Trust of India reported, citing police.The woman was chased, dragged by her hair and assaulted with sticks and fists after confronting the accused over money owed to her by a man who had recently died.The incident took place around midnight on November 11 in Hadimara village, under the Sonua police station limits. The accused were sitting around a fire outside the house of Reena Gope, 32, after performing a post-death ritual for her husband, Pandu Gope, Sub-Divisional Police Officer Syed Mustafa Hashmi said in a statement.The victim, Jinggi Bankira, arrived there and allegedly verbally abused the group.
She was angry because Pandu Gope had died without returning Rs 500 that he owed her, the officer said. Bankira fled and took shelter in an orchard behind her house, but the accused allegedly chased her, found her and dragged her by her hair to the road.
They then assaulted her with sticks and fists, according to the police.One of the accused, Krishna Gope, struck Bankira on the head six to seven times with a stick even after she had fallen to the ground. She died from her injuries, Hashmi told PTI.
A case was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita after Bankira's son, Prem Singh Bankira, lodged a complaint the following day. A special police team was formed to investigate the case and arrest the accused.Based on evidence collected during the investigation, police on Thursday arrested Suraj Gope, 25, Raghu Gope, 19, Gukul Gope alias Langru, 26, Reena Gope, 32, Madhu Gope alias Koche and Krishna Gope.
The first five are residents of Hadimara village, while Krishna Gope is from the Manoharpur police station area, Hashmi said.Police also recovered blood-stained sticks allegedly used in the assault, blood-stained soil from the spot, a piece of a bangle and a pair of blood-stained jeans belonging to Raghu Gope, the officer added.In all, six people were arrested after the police investigation into the alleged killing, which followed a confrontation over Rs 500 owed to the victim.- Ends(With PTI inputs)