A 45-year-old woman died and her mother and daughter were critically injured after three women were allegedly attacked during a land dispute in Ghatshila village, under Shaktigarh police station in West Bengal’s East Bardhaman district, on Saturday. Police have begun investigating the incident, while the alleged attackers are reportedly absconding.
The deceased was identified as Nasera Begum. Her daughter Kismatara Begum and mother Nazira Begum were taken to Bardhaman Medical College and Hospital, where they were receiving treatment in a critical condition, according to the report. The three women were allegedly assaulted with bricks, bamboo and a spade after a group entered Nasera’s home.
Neighbours reportedly rescued the injured women after hearing their cries and took them to the hospital. Nasera died shortly after being admitted, the report said. Police have launched searches for the alleged accused, identified as Nasera’s nephews Chand Sheikh and Dalim Sheikh, along with other members of their family.
The dispute was reportedly linked to four chhataks of land on which Nasera had built a house. She lived in Ghatshila with her mother and daughter, while her husband was living elsewhere after a second marriage. Nasera had received a house under the Awas Yojana, but reportedly did not have land on which to construct it.
According to local residents cited in the report, she obtained the plot from her brother-in-law several years ago for Rs 65,000. The transaction was not registered, and the arrangement was recorded on stamp paper. The report said the brother-in-law later sold the same land to Chand and Dalim, allegedly disregarding the earlier document.
The two men then allegedly pressured Nasera to vacate the plot. She reportedly told them that leaving the land would leave her without a place to live with her mother and daughter. A village mediation meeting was held on Thursday after repeated disputes, but the disagreement was not resolved.
The reported attack followed on Saturday, when Chand and Dalim allegedly arrived at Nasera’s home with other people. The three women were beaten with bamboo, bricks and a spade, according to the account. The precise sections of law invoked and the status of any arrests were not stated in the supplied report.
Police are continuing the investigation and conducting searches for the alleged accused. The condition of the two injured women remains critical, according to the report.
