Ashoknagar: Woman, 75, found dead in well; grandson accused of murder, absconding

A 75-year-old woman was murdered and her body thrown into a well in Bijlipur village, under Piparai police station limits in Ashoknagar district. Her grandson, Harveer Lodhi, is accused of the killing.

The accused was reportedly asking his maternal grandmother for money to gamble. When she did not give it, he allegedly beat her, killed her and dropped the body into the well. It has also emerged that the whole incident was disclosed to police by the accused's 8-year-old son.

The incident is said to have taken place during Deepavali, on the night between Sunday and Monday. On Monday, villagers saw the woman's body in the well and informed police. Police reached the spot and, with the help of villagers, had the body pulled out of the well.

The deceased has been identified as Motibai, wife of Ramsingh Lodhi, aged 75. Injury marks were found on her head. The post-mortem report also confirmed that death was caused by injury.

During the investigation, police questioned family members, but at first no one was willing to speak openly. The accused's 8-year-old son then told police that his father had come home at night and was asking his great-grandmother for money to gamble. When she refused, the father beat her and later threw the body into the well.

After the child's statement, other family members also admitted that she had been beaten.

Motibai had three daughters, one of whom lived with her. Harveer, the son of Hanuman Singh Lodhi, is that daughter's son and is the person accused of the murder.

According to police, the accused has been absconding since the incident. Police have registered a case for murder by assault and for throwing the body into the well to hide evidence. A search for the accused is on.