Woman beaten to death in Chhawla over property dispute, 3 held

A 62-year-old man, his wife, and daughter were arrested for allegedly beating his sister to death over a property dispute in Delhi.

A 62-year-old man, his wife and daughter have been arrested for allegedly beating the man’s sister to death over property dispute in southwest Delhi’s Chhawla on Saturday, police said.

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The deceased, Lalita Yadav, 43, lived in Pandwala village in Chhawla with her late brother’s daughter. Police said that on Saturday, an argument over property broke out at her house and escalated into a violent fight. “During the altercation, the woman was allegedly assaulted by her brother Vikram (62), his wife Suman Lata (56), their daughter Anu Yadav (32) and other family members. She sustained serious injuries and collapsed on the spot,” a police officer aware of the case said.

Police were informed and Yadav was taken to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared her dead.

Investigators said preliminary inquiries with local residents revealed that tensions over share in the property had been simmering within the family for a long time and arguments between the two sides had taken place earlier as well. “Lalita was asking for a share in the property for herself and for her niece,” a senior police officer said.

Police then arrested the brother and his wife and daughter. Statements of family members and other witnesses are being recorded, while forensic evidence is also being collected from the scene.

“The exact cause of death will be confirmed after the post-mortem report. The case is being investigated from all angles and strict legal action will be taken against those found responsible,” the officer added.

Her body has been sent to the mortuary at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital for post-mortem examination, police said.