Two beaten to death in Bihar village over 1.5-foot land dispute

A dispute over a 1.5-foot strip of land in Bhojpur's Madai village ended in a violent clash that killed two men and injured several others. The killings have left the village tense as police investigate rival claims from both sides.

In Short

• Radheshyam Singh, 30, and Rajnath Singh, 72, suffered fatal multiple injuries
• Several women were among the injured and were moved to Ara hospital
• Relatives said the rival group had repeatedly threatened them to vacate

A long-running dispute over just 1.5 feet of land turned deadly in Bihar’s Bhojpur district after two men were beaten to death and nearly a dozen others injured in a violent clash between two groups in Madai village falling under the jurisdiction of Charpokhari police station.

The deceased were identified as 30-year-old Radheshyam Singh and 72-year-old Rajnath Singh, both residents of Ward No. 12 of the village. Police said the victims suffered severe injuries to the head, chest and neck after being attacked with sticks and iron rods during the clash.

According to local residents, tension between the two sides had been simmering for nearly a year over the small strip of disputed land. The violence erupted on Friday evening when an argument broke out over the construction of a brick structure on the disputed plot, quickly escalating into a brutal confrontation.

Several women were also among those injured in the attack. The injured were initially taken to the Charpokhari Primary Health Centre before being referred to Ara Sadar Hospital for better treatment.

Family members of the victims accused the rival group of repeatedly threatening them to vacate the land. Jalandhar Singh, a relative of Rajnath Singh, alleged that members of the other side entered their house and attacked them.

However, Ramdev Singh from the opposing side claimed that construction work was being carried out after an official land measurement by a government surveyor, and the dispute escalated during the process.

Police reached the village soon after the incident and sent both bodies for post-mortem examination at Ara Sadar Hospital.

The Bhojpur Superintendent of Police said the clash stemmed from an old land dispute and that police were investigating the matter after receiving complaints from both sides.

Radheshyam Singh reportedly worked at a rolling company in Tata and had recently returned to the village. He is survived by his wife and two young children. Rajnath Singh is survived by his wife and son.

The incident has left the village in shock, with heavy police presence deployed to prevent further tension.

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With inputs from Sonu Kumar Singh