Victim identified as 53-year-old Devanti from Rajnandgaon district
A 53-year-old woman from Chhattisgarh was allegedly beaten to death by villagers in Bhabhai, under Chitrakoot district of Uttar Pradesh, after being suspected of theft. Police identified the victim as Devanti, a resident of Rajnandgaon district, who had travelled alone to an eye hospital in Satna, Madhya Pradesh, for treatment.
Authorities are still probing how she left the hospital premises and eventually reached Bhabhai village, located near the UP-MP border.
Assault in the village
According to police, the incident took place on Saturday when Devanti was passing through a field in Bhabhai village. A few locals intercepted her, accusing her of being part of a gang allegedly behind recent thefts in the area.
The villagers allegedly thrashed her severely. Police received information about the assault and rushed to the spot, managing to rescue the woman from the mob. She was taken to a nearby health centre for preliminary treatment and later referred to the district hospital. However, she succumbed to her injuries on the way.
Identity confirmed through Aadhaar and hospital slip
During a search of her belongings, police recovered her Aadhaar card and an admission slip from the eye hospital in Satna, just three kilometres away from the village. Based on these documents, the police were able to contact her family and inform them of the incident.
Her relatives reached Chitrakoot on Monday, following which the body was sent for post-mortem. Officials confirmed that injuries were found on her leg.
Police investigation and family response
Chitrakoot Superintendent of Police Arun Kumar Singh stated that an FIR would be registered once a formal complaint from the victim’s family is received. Sources revealed that the family was initially hesitant to file a complaint but later agreed to proceed with the case.
Police also noted that Rajnandgaon, the victim’s home district, is nearly 550 km from Chitrakoot. The hospital she had visited in Satna is considered one of the leading eye hospitals in the region.
Why did she leave the hospital?
Investigations suggest that Devanti had been admitted to the hospital on Sunday morning and was advised to undergo surgery. However, since the operation was not scheduled for the same day, she reportedly left the hospital premises. How she ended up in Bhabhai village remains unclear.
Circle Officer Arvind Kumar Verma stated that she had first travelled through Sonbhadra district before reaching Satna. Police are still gathering details from her family to understand her movements.
Rising fear of theft in Bhabhai
In recent days, several theft incidents had been reported in Bhabhai village, causing heightened fear among locals. As a result, villagers had been carrying out continuous patrols in and around the area in an effort to catch those responsible.
Police believe this climate of suspicion led to the tragic assault on Devanti, who failed to respond clearly to the villagers’ questions, further raising their doubts.
Next steps
Officials said more information will be collected from her family as part of the ongoing investigation. The police have assured that strict action will be taken once the FIR is lodged.
The case has highlighted once again the dangers of mob justice and the urgent need for greater awareness and law enforcement to prevent such incidents.
