Chaibasa: Six people have been arrested for allegedly beating a 41-year-old woman to death over a Rs 500 monetary dispute in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district, police said on Saturday.
The incident occurred around midnight on November 11 in Hadimara village under Sonua police station limits.
According to Sub-Divisional Police Officer (Chakradharpur) Syed Mustafa Hashmi, the accused were sitting around a bonfire outside the house of Reena Gope (32), whose husband, Pandu Gope, had recently died. They had gathered after performing his post-death ritual, locally known as 'Markhi'.
During this time, Jinggi Bankira arrived and allegedly abused those present. She was reportedly angry because Pandu Gope owed her Rs 500 and had died without returning the money, the police officer said.
Bankira fled and took shelter in an orchard behind her house. However, the accused allegedly chased her, found her and dragged her by her hair to the road, where they assaulted her with sticks and fists.
One of the accused, identified as Krishna Gope, allegedly struck her on the head six to seven times with a stick even after she had fallen to the ground. She later succumbed to her injuries.
Following a complaint lodged by the victim's son, Prem Singh Bankira, police registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
A special police team was constituted to investigate the incident and apprehend those involved.
Based on evidence gathered during the investigation, police arrested Suraj Gope (25), Raghu Gope (19), Gukul Gope alias Langru (26), Reena Gope (32), Madhu Gope alias Koche, all residents of Hadimara village, and Krishna Gope, a resident of the Manoharpur police station area, on Thursday.
Police also seized blood-stained sticks allegedly used in the assault, blood-stained soil from the crime scene, a piece of a bangle and a pair of blood-stained jeans belonging to Raghu Gope, Hashmi said.