A violent turf war over sand mining in Chhattisgarh's Koriya district ended in a gruesome triple murder, with one man burnt alive inside a luxury SUV and two others dying after being assaulted in what police suspect was a planned late-night ambush on Tuesday.
The killings took place near Katgodi village in Sonhat area, where a group of men intercepted two vehicles carrying their rivals. Police suspect the attackers used a tipper truck to repeatedly ram a Fortuner SUV, trapping its occupants inside before the vehicle caught fire. By Wednesday evening, three men had died and two others were battling serious injuries.
The dead were identified as Bharat Singh Geharwar alias Lalla Singh, who was charred inside the vehicle, Nagendra Singh, his relative, who suffered extensive burn injuries and died while being shifted to Raipur, and Virendra Pratap Singh, who succumbed to grievous injuries at a hospital in Ambikapur.
Lalla Singh was said to be a politically influential man in the region for long. The Singh and Thakur groups in the region have been in a rift with each other for the past few months over sand mining. Investigators said the violence was preceded by escalating tensions between two groups allegedly involved in the sand business. A confrontation earlier in the day had further heightened tempers before the dispute exploded into bloodshed hours later.
Eyewitnesses alleged that some occupants managed to break the windows of the burning SUV and escape, only to be attacked outside. One of the victims suffered fatal injuries from a sharp-edged weapon, while others were beaten and left critically injured. Police are verifying these accounts as part of the investigation.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said strict action would be taken and assured that no accused would be spared.
Additional SP Umesh Kashyap told reporters that preliminary investigation suggests the violence was preceded by a confrontation between the two groups earlier in the day, which escalated tensions in the area. Police are examining whether the victims later went to meet members of the rival group following a phone conversation before the confrontation turned deadly.
The official said that investigators are also verifying claims that the victims were called to the spot on the pretext of a settlement. "All angles are being examined and the exact sequence of events is being reconstructed based on witness statements and forensic evidence," he said.
On allegations that fuel was poured on the Fortuner before it was set ablaze, Kashyap said forensic experts are examining whether the vehicle was deliberately torched or whether the fire was triggered after the SUV collided with an electric pole during the attack. "The forensic report will help establish the exact cause of the fire," he said.
The charred shell of the Fortuner, scattered vehicle parts, broken glass and bloodstains bore testimony to the ferocity of the attack. Forensic teams spent hours examining the scene as investigators worked to establish whether the vehicle was deliberately set ablaze or caught fire after being rammed during the assault.
Four accused have been arrested and a hunt is underway for three others allegedly involved. Police said multiple teams have been formed to trace the remaining suspects.
The killings have triggered outrage across the region, with community groups demanding a CBI probe and alleging that the victims were called to the spot on the pretext of a settlement before being attacked by a large group.
With three deaths, four arrests and allegations of a pre-planned attack linked to the sand trade, the case has emerged as one of the most shocking crimes reported from Chhattisgarh in recent years.
