Patna: A 60-year-old man was hacked to death with an axe while sleeping outside his house at Akauna village under Halai police station area in Samastipur district. His body was found on the verandah of his house on Monday morning.According to police, the deceased was identified as Raghuvir Sahani. A blood-stained axe has been recovered from the spot. Preliminary investigation suggests the weapon belonged to the victim. The body was sent for post-mortem. Police are collecting forensic evidence and questioning family members, relatives and neighbours to ascertain the motive behind the killing.His wife Ramkali Devi said their cow had given birth to a calf five days ago, prompting Raghuvir to sleep outside the house to keep watch over the animal. “I was sleeping inside. When I came out in the morning, I found my husband lying in a pool of blood. A blood-stained axe was also lying nearby. It was his axe,” she said.Ramkali said their son lives outside the village with his family. She added that Raghuvir had talked to his grandson over a video call on the night of the murder. “There was no dispute with anyone in the village,” she said.Raghuvir’s brother, Biju Sahani, said the victim had been sleeping outside the house for the past four to five days. “He usually slept indoors. In the morning, we learnt that he had been killed with an axe,” he said.Patori SDPO B K Medhavi said the murder weapon belonged to the victim, raising suspicion that someone known to him could be involved.“Since the axe used in the murder belonged to Raghuvir Sahani, we suspect the involvement of someone close to him. However, the identity of the assailant and the motive are yet to be established. An FIR has been registered against unknown persons and the case will be solved soon,” the officer said.
