A 48-year-old woman was allegedly beaten to death at Nansol village of East Singhbhum district by a man who later claimed that he mistook the woman as ghost and hence hit her with a lathi, police said.
The accused Jodha Singh (52) allegedly thrashed Ahaliya Singh, leading to her on the spot death last night, Virendra Toppo, Officer-in-charge of the police station said.
Singh later claimed he mistook the deceased as a ghost which came near him at a forlorn spot in darkness and touched him and hence in self-defence (he) started hitting her with lathi, they said.
Ahaliya's family members rushed to the spot and discovered the body with parts of her brain matter spilled on the ground, the officer said.
The accused was seen sitting on the side of the body and did not resist when villagers grabbed him and later handed over to the police.
He was forwarded to jail custody today by a local court.
Ahaliya, who got married at Khokro village in the same police station limits, had returned to her native place and had been living with her widow sister-in-law for last nine years, Toppo added.
