Dhenkikote A 58-year-old woman was beaten to death by her nephew over an ancestral property dispute.

Patna/Dhenkikot: Police said a 58-year-old woman was allegedly beaten to death by her nephew over the division of ancestral property in Keonjhar district. The incident occurred on Friday in Rudhiyapada village of Chinamaliposhi Panchayat in Patna block.

The deceased was identified as Kaushalya Mohanta, wife of Raju Mohanta. Ghatgaon Police Station IIC Subharanshu Jena said police have arrested the accused nephew, 56-year-old Vidyadhar Mohanta, and launched an investigation. According to sources, there had been a long-standing dispute between the families of the accused, Vidyadhar, and his five uncles over the division of land. Vidyadhar had alleged that his father, Dalu, was not given his rightful share of the land by his five brothers and was deceived into giving him a smaller share, leading to frequent fights.

The incident occurred when Vidyadhar and his aunt, Kaushalya, had an argument over the issue. Enraged, Vidyadhar allegedly picked up a stick and severely beat his aunt. She was seriously injured in the attack.

Family members took the seriously injured Kaushalya to the Patna Community Health Center, where doctors declared her dead. Her son Sanjay and daughter Dalimba filed a complaint at the police station, demanding strict punishment for the accused.

Police conducted a post-mortem on Saturday and handed over the body to the family. The IIC said a case (232/26) has been registered at the Ghatgaon police station and further investigations are underway.