50-Year-Old Woman Hacked to Death While Collecting Mahua in Forest
Ranchi, Jharkhand, March 24, 2026 — In a deeply shocking and gruesome incident, a 50-year-old woman was brutally murdered by unknown assailants while she was out collecting Mahua flowers in a forest in Jharkhand’s Chatra district.
The horrific killing, which took place in the Sadar police station area, has triggered widespread panic and severe anger among the local residents.
A Routine Task Turns Fatal
The victim has been identified as Geeta Devi, wife of Sheetal Yadav, a resident of the Kishunpur neighborhood in Chatra city. According to local police and family statements, the tragedy unfolded on Monday.
At approximately 3:00 PM, Geeta Devi left her home and ventured into the nearby forest to gather Mahua flowers—a common seasonal activity for many locals in the region. However, as evening fell and darkness set in, she did not return home. Fearing the worst, her worried family members organized a search party and went into the dense forest late at night to look for her.
The Gruesome Discovery
After hours of desperate searching, the family made a horrifying discovery at around 1:00 AM on Tuesday. Geeta Devi’s blood-soaked body was found lying lifeless beneath a Mahua tree.
Initial observations revealed that she had been mercilessly hacked to death. Her body bore multiple deep, fatal cut marks inflicted by a tangi (a traditional sharp axe), highlighting the extreme brutality of the attack.
Police Investigation Underway
Following the discovery, local authorities were immediately alerted. The police have recovered the body and sent it for a post-mortem examination.
A full-scale investigation is currently underway. Authorities are combing the forest area and questioning locals to identify the unknown murderers and establish the exact motive behind this terrifying daytime ambush.