Woman axed to death by husband for ‘failure’ to have baby

Police said that the accused, Raj Kumar, 32, attacked his wife Shobha Devi, 29, with an axe following a quarrel at 7am.

A man allegedly killed his wife on Saturday by clobbering her with an axe, blaming her for the couple’s childless state. The murder took place in Paraha Tola village, within Paharpur police station limits of the Areraj sub-division of East Champaran.

A man allegedly killed his wife on Saturday by clobbering her with an axe, blaming her for the couple’s childless state.

Police said that the accused, Raj Kumar, 32, attacked his wife Shobha Devi, 29, with an axe following a quarrel at 7am. During the heated argument, Raj blamed Shobha for her “failure” to have a child. They had been married for eight years, and the couple’s inability to have a child had put a great strain on their relationship, according to what locals told the police.

“The killer husband has been arrested and the axe used in the crime has been seized,” said Anuj Kumar Singh, station house officer (SHO) of Paharpur police station.

“We have already informed the victim’s parents and are waiting for their arrival to send the body for post-mortem,” said Jyoti Prakash, SDPO of Areraj sub-division.

In yet another incident, a boy on Saturday lodged a case with Sangrampur police station, alleging that a group of people attacked him and pressed a rod in his private parts after he demanded the money that he had lent to a friend, also a minor. “We are looking into the matter,” said Mahendra Kumar, SHO Sangrampur.