A simmering family dispute over the care of an elderly father and the division of farmland turned violent on Friday in Nadan village of Madhya Pradesh's Maihar district. It is alleged that a daughter-in-law first assaulted her 85-year-old father-in-law and then went on to allegedly make her husband drink poison while consuming a poisonous substance herself. The incident triggered panic across the village, with a large number of residents gathering at the spot. Here is what the entire matter is about.
Land Division and the Care Arrangement
According to the information available, 85-year-old Chhote Lal Gautam had divided his roughly two-and-a-half acres of agricultural land equally among his three sons. It had also been decided at the panchayat level that the three sons would take turns caring for their father, one month each. However, this arrangement had been a source of tension and disagreement within the family for a long time.
Allegations of Mistreatment Against the Daughter-in-law
The family members allege that Suman Gautam, the wife of the eldest son, used to mistreat the elderly father-in-law. According to the allegations, he was not given food on time and was also stopped from meeting the other sons. It is this very feud that reportedly led to him being assaulted on June 10 and again on the morning of June 12.
Poison Allegedly Consumed Before Police Arrived
On receiving information about the incident, the Nadan police station team reached the village, but in the meantime the matter took a fresh turn. It is alleged that just before the police arrived, the woman forced her husband to drink some poisonous substance. Along with this, the woman, her daughter and some other family members also consumed poison. Videos linked to the entire episode have become a topic of discussion among the villagers.
All Admitted to the Civil Hospital
Recognising the seriousness of the matter, the police took all those involved with them to the police station. When the woman's side stated that poison had been consumed, the police immediately rushed everyone to the Maihar Civil Hospital for treatment, where they are being treated under the supervision of doctors.
Talk in the Village, Police Probe Underway
Following the incident, all sorts of discussions have begun in the village. The villagers say that had the family dispute been resolved in time, the situation would not have deteriorated to this extent. For now, the police are investigating the entire case. According to officials, further action will be taken on the basis of the medical report, video evidence and the statements of both sides. The actual circumstances of the incident will become clear only after the investigation is complete.
