Sehore, March 6 – In a horrific crime, a middle-aged man allegedly killed his nephew and niece over a land dispute in Sehore district, Madhya Pradesh, on Friday, police said.
The incident occurred in Dharmapuri village, which falls under the Siddiganj police station area in Sehore district, about 60 km from the state capital Bhopal.
According to police, the accused, Harisingh Malviya, killed his younger brother's children, Sheetal (20) and Kuldeep (19).
The preliminary investigation revealed that the family had an old dispute over ancestral property, and a fresh clash occurred during which Harish killed his brother Jagdeesh Malviya's children, police said.
According to information, Sheetal and Kuldeep were walking towards the exam center with their admit cards, hoping to secure a better future through education. However, barely a short distance from their home, they were ambushed by their uncle, Harish Malviya, who allegedly assaulted them repeatedly with a stick.
Family members claimed that the children were brutally beaten, after which they collapsed.
They were taken to the hospital in critical condition, where doctors declared them dead after a medical examination.
Later, enraged by the brutal killing of two young children, family members created a commotion at the Astha Civil Hospital where the bodies were taken for post-mortem examination. A police constable was also beaten.
However, the police managed the situation, and an autopsy was conducted.
Meanwhile, police have launched an intensive manhunt for the accused uncle, Harish Malviya, who fled after the attack.
Additional Superintendent of Police Sunita Rawat said that multiple teams have been formed, and raids are being carried out in forests and suspected hideouts to track him down.
A senior police inspector, Girish Dubey, said that the situation was brought under control after additional force was deployed in the village where the crime took place, and at the hospital.
"A case has been registered, and the search for the accused is underway," he added.
The station in charge, Raju Singh Baghel, said that the crime scene has been thoroughly examined, and evidence has been collected. Given the tense atmosphere in the village, additional police personnel have been deployed to prevent any escalation.
Meanwhile, Jagdish's another brother, Mukesh Malviya, speaking to media persons, said, "We lost two children because of the Siddiganj police station. We had submitted four applications in two months to SP Deepak Kumar Shukla, SDOP Damodar Gupta, and the Siddiganj police station."