One dead as joint family dispute ends in fatal assault; Uncle and cousin named

Lucknow: A 40-year-old secretary of a cooperative society was allegedly beaten to death by his uncle and cousin during a dispute over the construction of a staircase enclosure on the roof of a shared family house in Hardoi's Behandar Khurd village.The deceased, identified as Pradeep, was serving as secretary of the Sadhan Sahkari Samiti in Kasimpur.According to family members, Pradeep lived in a joint family arrangement, with different branches of the family occupying separate portions of the same ancestral house. A dispute reportedly was brewing over the construction of a staircase room on the rooftop.Pradeep's father, Hosh Ram, alleged that his brother Bihari and other family members objected to the construction work. On Sunday, the disagreement escalated into a heated argument while the work was underway.During the altercation, Bihari, along with his son Pankaj alias Pintu and other family members, allegedly attacked Pradeep with sticks. Family members said Pradeep sustained a severe head injury after being struck during the assault and collapsed on the spot.He was immediately rushed to the hospital, where doctors declared him dead.Following the incident, the accused allegedly fled the scene before police arrived.Circle Officer Santosh Kumar Singh of Sandila said preliminary investigation indicated that the clash stemmed from the ongoing dispute over the rooftop structure."The dispute was related to the construction of a staircase enclosure on the roof. During the altercation, the victim suffered a head injury after being hit with a stick, leading to his death," the officer said.Officials said a case would be registered on the basis of a complaint submitted by the deceased's father.