Ramgarh: Jharkhand Police have arrested seven people in connection with the murder of Giridih Sub-Registrar Baleshwar Patel in Ramgarh district and recovered a blood-stained brick and a bamboo stick allegedly used in the attack, officials said on Wednesday.
Patel was allegedly assaulted on Tuesday in Balsagara village under the Mandu police station area following a long-running dispute over nearly 11 decimals of land. He suffered serious injuries in the attack and was rushed to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
Ramgarh Superintendent of Police Mukesh Kumar Lunayat said the incident occurred on the morning of June 30 during a confrontation over the disputed property. Following a complaint lodged by Patel’s wife, Rita Devi, police registered a murder case at Mandu police station.
Considering the seriousness of the case, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by the Sub-Divisional Police Officer was formed to investigate the murder. Using technical evidence, video footage, local intelligence and witness statements, the team tracked down and arrested seven accused.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Santosh Kumar Sao alias Pampam, Sadhu Sao alias Gyani, Shakuntala Devi, Ruby Kumari, Vinay Kumar, Pooja Kumari and Laxmi Devi alias Dolly Kumari. All seven have been remanded to judicial custody.
During the investigation, police recovered a blood-stained brick and a bamboo stick believed to have been used in the assault.
The Superintendent of Police said a team from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), Ranchi, visited the crime scene and collected evidence as part of the investigation. He added that the probe is continuing and further legal action will be taken based on the findings.
According to the police, Patel had returned to his native village during the Hul Diwas holiday and had gone on Tuesday morning to inspect a borewell and submersible pump installed on the disputed land when he was allegedly attacked, leading to his death.
With inputs from IANS