The victim, identified as Durga Kushwaha, suffered 13 knife wounds, including nine to the chest, three to the abdomen and one to the neck, according to investigators. The incident occurred at around 5 p.m. within the jurisdiction of Gautam Nagar police station. Station in‑charge Mahendra Singh Thakur is supervising the ongoing probe.
Police said the accused, Pritam Kushwaha, had a prior conviction for a murder case and was recently released from prison. After the stabbing, he fled the scene and later died by suicide on railway tracks, authorities confirmed.
Durga, a resident of East Nishatpura, was alone at home when the attack occurred; her husband, who works as a driver, and her son were not present. Family members told police that Durga and Pritam shared a spiritual connection—she considered him a guru‑bhai or fellow disciple.
According to relatives, Pritam had been living in Durga’s home since his release from jail last year. Tensions had grown between Pritam and the household after family members repeatedly asked him to vacate the premises. Disputes over his continued stay, they said, had become frequent in recent months.
On Monday evening, Pritam allegedly persuaded Durga to accompany him to a nearby under‑construction building under the pretext of cleaning. Once inside, he attacked her with a knife, killing her on the spot, police said.
Durga’s daughter‑in‑law told officers that the family’s repeated requests for Pritam to leave had provoked mounting arguments. “He did not want to leave the house,” she said in her statement to police. “There were frequent disputes over this issue. On Monday evening, he took her to the under‑construction building and killed her.”
Relatives also disclosed that Pritam’s return to his native Tendukheda village in Sagar district after prison release was met with resistance. Villagers reportedly refused to allow him to stay, prompting him to come to Bhopal, where he reconnected with Durga.
Police officers reached the scene soon after the attack and began recording statements from family members and neighbours. Both Durga’s body and that of the accused have been sent for post‑mortem examination.
Investigators are collecting evidence from the crime site and working to establish a clear timeline and the exact circumstances surrounding the killing. Authorities have indicated that further questioning and forensic analysis will continue as part of the inquiry.
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