An elderly woman was brutally murdered with an axe on Thursday evening in Maraiya village, under the Lakshmipur police station area of Jamui district. The deceased has been identified as 70-year-old Phoolwanti Devi, wife of Bhola Singh. The accusation of murder falls upon 72-year-old neighbor Penghu Singh alias Shailendra Singh, who was apprehended by villagers and handed over to the police.

According to family members, Phoolwanti Devi had just returned home in the evening after attending a relative's cremation in Jamui. Shortly after arriving home, she went to bathe. As she exited the bathroom, the accused, Penghu Singh, suddenly attacked her with an axe. The victim's son, Vijay Singh, stated that while his mother was changing clothes after bathing, Shailendra Singh alias Penghu Singh entered their house and attacked his mother from behind as she stood in the courtyard. The attack resulted in severe injuries to her head, ear, shoulder, and other parts of her body, leading to her death on the spot.

Vijay Singh suspects that about a week prior, Shailendra Singh had visited their home, leading to an argument over a goat entering a field. During that dispute, Shailendra Singh had allegedly threatened Phoolwanti Devi's life. Vijay Singh believes this old dispute is the motive behind his mother's murder.

After the incident, villagers chased and caught the fleeing accused. Upon receiving information, Lakshmipur Station House Officer Alok Kumar Singh arrived at the scene with police forces. The police arrested the accused and began interrogation. An FSL team was also called to the crime scene to collect evidence. The police have sent the body to the Sadar Hospital for post-mortem examination. While family members have suggested the accused was intoxicated, the exact motive for the murder is yet to be fully clarified.