Ashoknagar man accused of beating grandmother, 75, to death over gambling money

A man in Madhya Pradesh's Ashoknagar district is accused of beating his 75-year-old grandmother to death after she refused to give him money for gambling. The accused has been identified as Harveer.

The incident took place in Bijlipur village under the Piparai police station area. According to preliminary information, Harveer was addicted to gambling and was asking his grandmother for money for it. When she refused, he is alleged to have flown into a rage and assaulted the elderly woman.

The woman suffered serious injuries in the assault and died. Harveer is then alleged to have thrown her body into a nearby well in an attempt to hide the crime.

The matter came to light when Harveer's eight-year-old son gave police key information. The child is said to have told investigators that his father had asked his grandmother for money for gambling. When she refused, Harveer is alleged to have attacked her and later dropped the body into the well. The child's statement helped police understand the likely sequence of events.

On the basis of this information, Piparai police recovered the elderly woman's body from the well and sent it for post-mortem. The post-mortem is said to have confirmed that she died of injuries sustained in the assault, which has strengthened the suspicion of murder.

Harveer has been absconding since the incident. Police have begun a search for him and are raiding possible hideouts to catch him.

People in Bijlipur and neighbouring villages are in shock. Police are investigating on the basis of the child's statement, the post-mortem report and other available evidence, so that the circumstances of the woman's death can be fully established.