2 arrested for killing woman in Bihar: police

Police arrested two brothers on Monday for allegedly hacking to death a 42-year-old woman in Chhoti Deilori village of Bihar’s Bhagalpur district on Saturday, a senior officer privy to the investigation said

Police arrested two brothers on Monday for allegedly hacking to death a 42-year-old woman in Chhoti Deilori village of Bihar’s Bhagalpur district on Saturday, a senior officer privy to the investigation said.

Bhagalpur senior superintendent of police (SSP), Babu Ram, identified the accused as Mohammad Shakeel and Mohammad Juddin and said they attacked and killed Neelam Devi on Saturday allegedly over a financial dispute.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the victim and Shakeel knew each other and the woman took a loan from Shakeel for her daughter’s marriage, which she didn’t return. The loan was due till date, leading to a dispute. A month ago, the victim and accused had quarrelled over repayment,” said the SSP, adding that the accused are being interrogated further.

Based on a complaint at the Pirpainti police station by Neelam’s husband Ashok Yadav, an FIR was registered against the duo under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 302 (murder), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 307 (attempt to murder) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).

According to the FIR, Neelam stepped out with their 14-year-old son on Saturday to buy medicines at the local market. She was waylaid by the accused when she was coming back alone as their son chose to spend more time at the market, the FIR states.

Pirpainti police station SHO Rajkumar said the attack was particularly brutal. He said doctors at the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital (JLNMCH) in Bhagalpur, where Neelam was rushed after the attack, confirmed that her limbs, ears and breasts had been chopped off.

“As soon as she reached near at Sindhia canal, Shakeel attacked on her head with the sharp edge weapons. When she fell on the ground Shakeel’s brother Juddin also attacked her. Both the brothers tried to cut her into pieces but following intervention of passerby, they fled from the spot. After the incident, local people recognised her as a regular visitor to the market and informed her husband, about the incident,” the FIR stated.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Yadav said Shakeel used to frequent their residence in the village and they had recently quarrelled. “I asked him to keep away from my residence as well as family members... This might have enraged Shakeel, who then carried out the brutal murder,” said Yadav.

He added that Neelam had named Shakeel as the attacker while she was being rushed to JLNMCH.

Former Union minister and Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shahnawaj Hussain and party spokeperson Nikhil Anand said the incident was a communal one and demanded capital punishment for the culprits.

“Bihar government must take moral responsibility for this communal incident and give ₹1 crore compensation to the victim’s family”, said Anand.