KUMUD JENAMANI
Jamshedpur, Nov 25: An elderly couple were found hacked to death at their home under Gua thana in West Singhbhum, about 140 km from Jamshedpur, on Tuesday morning.
The gruesome killings took place at Lupang village in Darigiri panchayat, and police suspect the case may be linked to witch-hunting.
Victims Identified as Sargiya and Mukta Balmuchu
The victims were identified as Sargiya Balmuchu (72) and his wife Mukta Balmuchu (65).
Police recovered the bodies and sent them to Chaibasa Sadar Hospital for postmortem.
Villager First Noticed the Couple Lying Unresponsive
According to police, a villager saw the couple lying on a cot in their courtyard early in the morning.
They were covered with a bedsheet, so he assumed they were sleeping and passed by.
Two hours later, he found them in the same position. When calling their names brought no response, he lifted the bedsheet and discovered both were dead. He immediately raised an alarm, alerting the entire village.
Recent Village Dispute May Be Linked
Police said there had been a dispute between Sargiya Balmuchu and some villagers.
A village panchayat meeting was held on Sunday evening regarding the issue, during which Sargiya was given a penalty.
However, the exact nature of the dispute is still not known.
Couple Killed With an Axe During the Night
The attackers killed the couple with an axe sometime during the night and later placed their bodies on a cot, covering them with a bedsheet.
Police Begin Investigation
West Singhbhum SP Amit Renu said the exact reason for the murders is still unclear, but the dispute with villagers is being investigated.
“I have asked Gua OC Nitish Kumar to visit the spot and collect full details,” the SP told The Jharkhand Story.
