School principal killed, kin hurt in attack over land dispute

Dumka: A 35-year-old man, who was the principal of a school, was killed and two others were critically injured after an alleged family feud snowballed into a violent clash in Godda district on Saturday.

The deceased was identified as Mohammad Hidayat Siddiqui, the principal of Banarsi Devi Project Girls’ High School at Mahagama.

The incident took place at Parsa village under Hanwara police station limits.Hidayat was allegedly beaten with sticks by his uncle Mohammad Sharif and a few of his accomplices when he had gone to the family farm in the morning. Hidayat’s father Harun Rashid told the police that Sharif and others were waiting at the farm for Hidayat to settle an old land dispute.

Hidayat was thrashed with sticks after an altercation, Rashid claimed."My son called his younger brother Asad Raju (30) and nephew (sister's son) Mohammad Subhan (30), belonging to Bansipur village under Bassantrai police station of Godda district, over phone. As they reached, they found him lying in a pool of blood at the farm," Rashi said. He further claimed that Raju and Subhan were thrashed by Sharif and his men before they fled the scene.

Hidayat, Raju and Subhan were admitted to the Mahagama referral hospital. Having received severe injuries to his head, Hidayat was declared dead by doctors soon after. Raju and Subhan were referred to Godda Sadar Hospital for treatment.Stating that blood stained sticks were recovered from the site of clash, Hanwar police station in-charge Rajan Kumar said, “Prima facie, it appears to be a case of family dispute which turned violent. A special team has been formed to apprehend the suspects.”