A local jeweller was shot dead and jewellery worth an estimated ₹60 lakh stolen in broad daylight at the Kotmi weekly market in Pendra on Tuesday evening, officials and witnesses said. The attack has sparked protests, roadblocks and renewed questions about law-and-order in parts of northern Chhattisgarh.

What happened
According to police and eyewitnesses, 45-year-old jeweller Pradeep Soni had closed his stall around 7 pm and was preparing to leave when three men on a single motorcycle approached him. Sources familiar with the case said the assailants grabbed a bag containing gold and silver ornaments; when Soni resisted, one of the men fired at close range, striking him in the chest.

Immediate response
Kotmi chowki police reached the scene within minutes after receiving calls from bystanders. Soni was rushed to the district hospital in Pendra but doctors declared him dead on arrival, Dr Prashant Ratre of the district hospital said. Officials recovered empty cartridges and bloodstains from the market area and sealed off the spot for investigation.

Scope of loss
Police estimate the stolen jewellery to be worth around ₹60 lakh based on initial inventory provided by the family. CCTV footage obtained from the area shows Soni leaving home in the morning carrying a bag of ornaments; witnesses said the weekly market attracts large crowds on Tuesdays, and Soni regularly visited a nearby Hanuman temple before closing his stall.

Police action
Pendra police said they have launched a multi-district search for the suspects. Checkpoints have been set up in six neighbouring districts — Bilaspur, Korba, Manendragarh, Anuppur, Dindori and Korea — to intercept the motorcycle and trace the perpetrators, a senior officer told reporters on condition of anonymity. No arrests have been made so far.

Community reaction
The killing shook the local business community. Shops in Pendra remained closed on Wednesday as traders observed a shutdown in protest. Family members, angry at the lack of arrests, took Soni’s body to Durga Chowk and staged a road blockade late Tuesday night, demanding immediate action from police and district authorities. “They killed him in front of everyone,” a relative told reporters at the hospital, declining to be named.

Political response
The state Congress raised broader concerns about public safety, saying the incident underlines deteriorating law and order. The party’s social media account described the situation as “an environment of impunity” for criminals and said major towns such as Raipur and Bilaspur were no longer safe. Former MLA Shailesh Pandey said the murder had created fear among ordinary citizens and traders, accusing police of failing to make arrests promptly.

Forensics and probe
Investigators are collecting forensic evidence from the market and examining CCTV footage along potential escape routes. The body was sent for post-mortem to determine the exact number of gunshot wounds; doctors said one bullet was recovered from the chest at hospital but the autopsy will confirm details. Police are also tracking recent incidents of jewellery-related robberies in the region to determine if there is a link.

Local context
The murder follows other high-value lootings in the region in recent days, including a separate reported theft of jewellery worth about ₹25 lakh in Bilaspur’s Sipat area on the same Tuesday evening. Those incidents have heightened anxiety among traders who say they face increasing risk while transporting goods to weekly markets.

What’s next
District police said they will present leads from the ongoing probe at a briefing later in the day and appealed to the public for information that could help identify the suspects. Meanwhile, trader bodies have threatened further shutdowns if arrests are not made quickly.

Related developments will be monitored as investigators comb CCTV, witness accounts and cross-district checkpoints for the motorcycle and three suspects.

Elderly Couple Brutally Murdered in Janjgir-Champa; Robbery Suspected

Masks and fake hair recovered from the crime scene as police launch a manhunt for suspects who fled with gold jewelry in Chhattisgarh.

In a chilling double homicide that has sent shockwaves through Chhattisgarh’s Janjgir-Champa district, an elderly couple was found brutally murdered at their residence in Khapri village. Santram Sahu (62) and his wife Shyam Bai Sahu (62) were killed late Tuesday night, with attackers reportedly using sharp-edged weapons to slit their throats.

According to officials, the perpetrators escaped with gold jewelry and cash estimated at ₹80,000. The discovery of a Holi mask and synthetic hair at the scene suggests a pre-planned execution where the assailants attempted to conceal their identities.

Gruesome discovery at dawn

The incident came to light early Wednesday morning when the couple's eldest son, Harishankar Sahu, visited the house to collect agricultural supplies. Finding the front door ajar, he entered to discover his father’s body lying on the floor and his mother dead on a cot, both soaked in blood.

Targeted attack on seniors

Local reports indicate that Santram, a farmer who also operated a small betel shop, lived alone with his wife while their sons resided separately with their families. The timing of the attack is particularly tragic, as the family had celebrated their grandson’s wedding just days ago on March 28.

Evidence of forced entry

Preliminary investigations by the Mulmula police suggest the attackers used a tree adjacent to the boundary wall to scale the building and gain entry. Forensic experts noted that the house was ransacked, and a gold necklace was missing from Shyam Bai’s person, pointing toward a robbery motive.

Strategic use of disguises

The recovery of a mask and fake hair from the premises has added a complex layer to the investigation. Sources indicated that these items were likely used to mislead witnesses or cameras. Bloody footprints were also traced from the bedroom leading out toward the main road, indicating the escape route used by the suspects.

Massive manhunt launched now

Superintendent of Police Vijay Kumar Pandey arrived at the village to oversee the probe. "We have deployed FSL teams and a dog squad to track the movement of the accused. The nature of the entry suggests the involvement of more than one individual who was familiar with the house layout," a senior official stated.

Rising concerns over safety

The double murder has sparked fear among the residents of Khapri, as the village has seen little violent crime in recent years. Relatives and neighbors are currently being questioned to determine if any suspicious individuals were spotted loitering in the area following the recent wedding festivities.

Future course of investigation

The bodies have been sent for post-mortem at the district hospital. While the primary angle remains robbery, Mulmula police are not ruling out personal enmity. A case has been registered against unidentified persons, and authorities claim that an arrest is imminent as digital and physical evidence is processed.

Gwalior Police Arrest ‘Bunty-Babli’ Duo for 57 Interstate Thefts

An interstate theft gang led by a husband-wife duo was busted by Gwalior police after committing 57 robberies across three states.

 In a major breakthrough, the Gwalior police have arrested a husband-wife duo responsible for a string of high-profile robberies across Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat. The couple, whose operations mirrored the cinematic 'Bunty-Babli' style, targeted 12 cities over several months, focusing exclusively on high-value assets like cash and jewelry.

Sophisticated Modus Operandi

The accused, identified as Arvind Rajak (32) and his wife Jyoti Rajak (30), reportedly executed their crimes with meticulous planning. To evade law enforcement and mislead investigators, the duo utilized three different motorcycles for a single operation.

According to officials, they used one bike for reconnaissance, a second to reach the target site, and a third as a getaway vehicle parked at a distance. This tactic ensured that CCTV surveillance across different districts never flagged a consistent vehicle, making tracking nearly impossible for months.

Series of Gwalior Heists

The investigation gained momentum following six consecutive robberies in the Maharajpura area of Gwalior. The sudden spike in daytime housebreakings had put local authorities under significant pressure.

"The suspects were highly calculated, conducting recce of vacant houses during the day and striking under the cover of darkness," a senior police official stated. The breakthrough came when investigators analyzed hundreds of hours of footage, eventually identifying a pattern in their movements despite the changing vehicles.

Strategic Role Distribution

Police sources indicated that Arvind was the primary executor of the break-ins, while Jyoti played a crucial role in ensuring a smooth escape. By traveling together as a couple, they frequently bypassed police checkpoints without raising suspicion.

This domestic "cover" allowed them to move stolen goods across state borders with relative ease. Sources added that the presence of a woman on the bike acted as a psychological shield, as patrolling units were less likely to intercept what appeared to be a regular commuting couple.

Extensive Criminal History

Arvind Rajak is no stranger to the legal system, with 56 cases of theft already registered against him in various districts including Jhansi, Sehore, Hoshangabad, and several cities in Gujarat.

While Jyoti had only one prior case registered against her in Jhansi, her active involvement in the Gwalior thefts has brought her under the full scanner of the law. This latest arrest is expected to solve dozens of pending cases across the interstate corridor.

Massive Recovery Made

Following the arrest, the police recovered a significant haul of stolen property. The seized items include two gold necklaces, two gold chains, four rings, and a pair of bracelets, totaling approximately 105 grams of gold.

The market value of the recovered jewelry is estimated at ₹15.75 lakh. Additionally, ₹2 lakh in cash was recovered from their possession, bringing the total valuation of the seized property to ₹17.75 lakh.

Judicial Custody Granted

ASP Vidita Dagar confirmed that the duo confessed to their involvement in the Maharajpura thefts during interrogation. The police are now shifting their focus toward identifying the network of receivers who helped the couple liquidate stolen jewelry.

The accused were produced before a local court on Sunday and have been remanded to judicial custody. This arrest marks a significant win for the Gwalior police in their ongoing crackdown on organized interstate crime.