(Editor's note: This incident took place in April 2015. The article has been updated to reflect the same.)
A 44-year-old woman was hacked to death in full public view by her brother in Chhattisgarh last April. Her crime? She lighted the pyre of her dead mother, as per the latter's last wish.
Geeta Prahlad, also the sarpanch of the Mohda village in Raipur district of Chhattisgarh, had lit the funeral pyre of her mother Surjubai on 5 April last year. Two days later, her brother, Tejram Verma accosted Geeta and hacked her to death in public. He was accompanied by his youngest son Piyush. Geeta's son was injured when he tried to stop his uncle and cousin.
The Indian Express reports: "Tejram Verma was aided by his son Piyush as they attacked 46-year-old Geeta Prahlad when she was going to a river for a customary bath three days after the death of their mother. Geeta ran to save her life as they chased her in front of villagers and hit her repeatedly with axes."
Geeta's 19-year-old daughter Khushboo told The Hindu: "“Santosh threw my grandmother out from his home 22 years ago. My mother was looking after her all these years. He did not perform his duty as a son when my grandmother was alive but killed my mother for doing something which every daughter should do — fulfil her mother’s last wish."
Relatives confirmed that Geeta had not staked claim on any property belonging to her brother. But, Verma's ego was hurt as Geeta performed the last rites of their mother. Also, he was allegedly envious of his sister who did much better than him in life and was elected the sarpanch of the village earlier in February last year.
Verma's elder son said that it seemed like his father was 'possessed' and added that he was ashamed to be called his son.
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