A man has been hacked to death in Hungama following a brawl that broke out over cattle straying into a neighbour’s vegetable plot, police said.
According to the Daily Mirror, the victim had gone to the suspect’s home to pay compensation after his cattle destroyed a long bean cultivation belonging to the suspect. The discussion over the damage escalated into a heated argument and then into a physical clash.
During the confrontation, the victim was attacked and hacked by the suspect and the suspect’s brother, police said. He was rushed to hospital but later succumbed to his injuries.
Both suspects fled the scene, and police have launched an operation to trace and arrest them.
Disputes over straying livestock damaging crops are a recurring source of friction in Sri Lanka’s rural farming communities, and have on occasion escalated into serious violence.
