india

Updated: Dec 20, 2019 07:44 IST

Residents of a Madhya Pradesh village on Thursday set fire to houses of three men accused of killing another villager and brutal sexual assault on his pregnant sister-in-law on Wednesday over a plot of land awarded under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (PMAY).

The angry villagers pelted police with stones and damaged their jeep, leading to a lathi-charge and firing of teargas shells by the police. As many as six cops were allegedly injured in the incident, said police.

According to a complaint filed by kin, the deceased was being threatened by some musclemen in the village who made parallel claims to a portion of the land awarded to the deceased under the PMAY.

On Wednesday, they again asked to stop the construction of the house on the disputed land and attacked the deceased with sharp-edged weapons when he refused. The pregnant wife of the victim’s younger brother was also assaulted by the assailants who allegedly inserted a stick in her private parts, when she rushed to save her brother in law, says the complaint.

The Manjhgawan police rushed the two to a nearby hospital, where the man died and the woman continued to fight for her life, said police.

Sub-divisional officer of police Bhavna Maravi said the accused in the murder case were yet to be arrested. Police were also trying to identify those who attacked the police team on Thursday.