The accused, all residents of the same village, were arrested on Saturday, a police official said. On Thursday, a quarrel ensued between the old woman and one of the accused over a petty issue. Then accused four allegedly dragged the old woman and tied her to a tree and when her husband came to rescue her, he was also tied to the tree and both were assaulted by the accused persons, said Inspector-in-Charge of Panikoili police station Sarat Kumar Patra.



Later, Panikoili police reached the spot after and rescued the couple, he said. The old couple alleged that they used to be regularly harassed by the accused persons over a land dispute, he said. The police arrested the accused persons on Saturday on the basis of the complaint lodged by the old couple.