Relatives of a 60-year-old farmer killed him by beating him with sticks and running a tractor over him in Patrai village in Chhattigarh’s Surguja on Sunday, police said on Monday, adding that the two sides were involved in a land dispute.
Sub-district police officer Rajendra Mandavi said eight accused, including two women, have been arrested and statements of the farmer’s family and the accused are being recorded.
The arrested accused include Umesh, who was allegedly operating the tractor on Hosram, Bajrang Baikra, Bhuvneshwar, Manoj, Raghunandan, Boudhan, Kamli and Pyari, police said. Police confiscated the jars and said further investigations were underway.
Police said Hosram was involved in a long-standing dispute with his relative Bajrang over the ownership of 6.30 acres of agricultural land. They added that the land originally belonged to their aunt Kameshwari, a childless woman. Hosram claimed rights to the property based on her will, insisting that he was taking care of Kameshwari. Bajrang also claimed ownership of the land and went to court.
The revenue official ruled in favor of Khosram before the judge overturned it on appeal, leading to escalating tensions between the two families.
The Bajrang family went to plow the disputed field on Sunday and plant crops, police said. Hasram rushed onto the field and intercepted. The ensuing argument turned into a clash. The eight arrested defendants allegedly assaulted Hasram with sticks. Investigators said he was struck by a tractor after he fell to the ground.
