Mother and daughter critically injured in tangi attack during land dispute in Rewa

A mother and her daughter were critically injured in Rewa’s Muharwa village on Thursday afternoon after an alleged tangi attack during a dispute over land demarcation, police and hospital sources said.

Attack during boundary work
Officials said the assault took place around 1pm when the accused, identified as 38-year-old Ashok Kushwaha, was reportedly marking the boundary of his land near the victims’ house. According to the injured woman, 30-year-old Poonam Pathak, Kushwaha attempted to drive stones into what she and her family claim is their plot. When she and her mother objected, the accused allegedly attacked them with a tangi (a short-handled agricultural knife).

Injuries and hospitalisation
Both Poonam and her 70-year-old mother, Vidyavati Pathak, sustained serious injuries and were taken to Sanjay Gandhi Hospital in Rewa by an emergency response team after a Dial 112 call, police said. Hospital officials confirmed both women are under treatment in stable but critical condition; ward details were not disclosed for privacy reasons. Initial medical notes indicated deep lacerations consistent with a sharp-blade assault, the sources added.

Victim’s account and prior dispute
Poonam told reporters and local officials the attack followed a long-running feud. She said the tensions escalated after an alleged wheat theft on May 1, which she accused Kushwaha of committing. “I filed a complaint with the police then; he returned a sack of wheat in front of officers but has been threatening us since,” she said in a brief statement to attending staff. Local sources familiar with the matter corroborated there had been intermittent quarrels between the families over land boundaries and past accusations.

Police response and investigation
Semariya police have registered a case and launched an investigation, a senior officer at the station said on condition of anonymity. “We have recorded the statements of the injured and several witnesses. The accused has been identified and efforts are on to trace him,” the officer said. No arrest was confirmed at the time of filing. Forensic teams were expected to visit the scene later in the evening to collect evidence and document the alleged crime.

Ground-level reaction
Neighbours and relatives gathered outside the hospital late Thursday, describing a tense atmosphere in the Muharwa locality. “They are simple people, and this place has seen small fights before, but nothing like this,” a neighbour said. Local panchayat members urged police to act swiftly to prevent further escalation. Several residents expressed fear that the dispute could inflame wider tensions in the village if not handled promptly.

Legal and civic context
Land boundary conflicts remain a persistent source of violence in parts of rural Madhya Pradesh, legal experts say, often compounded by delayed revenue records and informal encroachments. Police noted that such matters can be settled through revenue or civil courts but sometimes erupt into criminal incidents when tempers flare or previous grievances fester.

What happens next
Officials said they would pursue further legal steps after completing medical examinations and recording full statements from the victims when their condition permits. Semariya police have asked for CCTV or other independent witnesses who may have seen the incident to come forward. The local administration has also been informed, according to an official at the collectorate.

Community leaders called for calm and quicker clarification of land titles to reduce the chance of retaliation. Meanwhile, family members of the injured said they fear for their safety and want immediate police protection.