Man beheads woman tea plucker in Assam's Tinsukia district

DIBRUGARH: A labourer at Betjan tea estate beheaded a 45-year-old female tea plucker in Tinsukia district on Monday. The victim, identified as Bobita Bhuiyan, was plucking green tea leaves alongside 10-12 other co-workers when the incident took place around 8 am.

Witnesses recounted the scene, stating that a labourer from the same tea estate, identified as Dipak Boraik, suddenly appeared wielding a machete (dao). Without warning, Boraik swung the deadly weapon, severing Bhuiyan's head. The motive is still unclear, the police said.

Startled by the gruesome act, Bhuiyan's co-workers raised an alarm, prompting the assailant to flee. The police arrived at the scene and launched a hunt to nab the accused. Around an hour later, he surrendered at Makum police station.

"We were plucking tea leaves when the accused appeared out of nowhere and attacked and killed her with a machete," a witness said. Police have launched an investigation. "We are interrogating the accused but he is yet to disclose the motive behind the murder. The victim and the accused resided in the Labor Line No. 6 of Betjan tea estate," Tinsukia SP Abhijit Gurav said.