The family members of an elderly person allegedly killed in a land dispute cremated him in front of the house of the accused in Bihar’s West Champaran district in what is being seen as an act of revenge.

The incident occurred at Mahchhi village under Gopalpur police station in the district on Monday night after the victim identified as one Chanchal Mahto, 62, died.

Five persons had allegedly assaulted Mahto on July 19 while working in his agriculture farm on a disputed land. He was admitted to government medical college and hospital in Bettiah for treatment, where he succumbed to his injuries on August 2.

The police got a post-mortem conducted and handed over the body to his family members on the same evening.

However, the enraged family members of Mahto carried his body to the place where the accused lived. They built a funeral pyre and cremated him on it, while demanding the arrest of the people involved in killing him.

The police were present on the occasion. They tried to stop Mahto’s family members and acquaintances from cremating his body there, but their entreaties fell on deaf ears.

Meanwhile, Gopalpur station house officer Rajrup Rai said that prima facie it seemed that Mahto had died of heart attack while undergoing treatment at the government medical college and hospital.

“We are yet to receive the post-mortem report of Mahto. Only then will we be able to say anything with certainty,” Rai said.