A wedding that made headlines across Chhattisgarh last month has taken an unexpected turn. Muskan, the bride who had refused to marry groom Sant Kumar on June 23 alleging that he was intoxicated, has now married the same man 16 days later in a temple ceremony in Janjgir-Champa district.

The development comes weeks after the original wedding was called off in Kosmanda village under Champa police station limits. At the time, Muskan had publicly refused to marry Sant Kumar after claiming he was under the influence of alcohol, leading to a confrontation between the two families and widespread discussion on social media.

The incident had drawn significant public attention, with Janjgir-Champa Superintendent of Police Vijay Pandey praising Muskan's decision and later appointing her as a member of the Family Counselling Centre.

Temple Wedding After Weeks of Contact

According to officials, Muskan was on duty at the Family Counselling Centre on Thursday. Around 2 pm, she left the office and instead of returning home, travelled to Khokhra village, where Sant Kumar resides.

The couple subsequently got married at the Manka Dai Temple in the presence of Sant Kumar’s relatives and family members, following Hindu rituals and traditions.

Reports suggest that Sant Kumar’s family was aware of the wedding plans, while Muskan’s relatives were informed later.

Couple Says Misunderstanding Was Resolved

The newlyweds said they remained in touch over the phone even after the June 23 wedding was called off. During their conversations, they discussed the events that led to the cancellation and eventually decided to give the relationship another chance.

Muskan said the misunderstandings between them had been cleared and that they had chosen to begin a new chapter together.

“We have resolved all the issues that existed between us,” she reportedly told officials after the marriage.

Groom Denies Consuming Alcohol

Sant Kumar maintained that he does not drink alcohol and claimed that someone had mixed an intoxicating substance into his soft drink on the day of the original wedding ceremony.

According to him, his condition was misunderstood as intoxication, which ultimately led to the wedding being cancelled. He said he later apologised to Muskan, and both families gradually moved towards reconciliation.

The couple now says they believe the incident was part of a conspiracy and that continued communication helped them understand each other's perspective.

Police Traced Muskan After Family Raised Concern

Champa City Superintendent of Police Yogita Bali Khaparde said Muskan had left the Family Counselling Centre on Thursday afternoon but did not reach home. When her mobile phone was found switched off, concerned relatives informed the police.

A search operation involving local police and cyber teams was launched. During the investigation, authorities traced her location to Sant Kumar’s residence in Khokhra village.

Police officers reached the spot and spoke with both individuals. Muskan informed officials that she had voluntarily chosen to marry Sant Kumar and wished to stay with him.

A Wedding That Sparked Statewide Debate

The original incident on June 23 had become one of the most talked-about social stories in Chhattisgarh after Muskan refused to marry a groom she believed was intoxicated. The decision was widely praised as a stand against substance abuse and social pressure.

With the couple now married after reconciling, the story has taken a dramatic turn, highlighting how communication and changing perceptions can alter the course of personal relationships.

Three people were killed early Sunday after an unidentified vehicle ran them over while they were out on their morning walk in Chhattisgarh’s Janjgir-Champa district. The driver fled the scene after the crash, and police are now trying to identify the vehicle.

The accident took place on the Bharatmala road passing through Dongri-Korbi village in Baloda police station limits, between 4 am and 5 am. The victims were identified as Dilharan Das Vaishnav, 62, Kedar Yadav, 52, and Santu Yadav, 70.

Police said all three were friends and used to go for morning walks together. Vaishnav had retired as a branch manager from a cooperative society, while Yadav and Santu Yadav were farmers. The three had walked about 2 km from home when they were hit.

Their bodies were found scattered across the road, around 5 to 10 metres apart, after the impact. Locals gathered at the spot soon after the incident and informed the police.

Officers reached the scene, completed the inquest and sent the bodies for post-mortem. Police are now scanning CCTV footage from the surrounding area to trace the vehicle and identify the driver. A case has been registered, and search teams are working to track down the accused.

The tragedy has once again raised concerns about road safety on high-speed corridors, especially during early-morning hours when visibility is low and traffic is sparse. Residents said the victims were part of a regular walking group and had no reason to expect such a fatal crash.

Police in Chhattisgarh’s Janjgir-Champa district have arrested a pastor and a local resident after a healing prayer meeting at a private house sparked allegations of religious conversion and hurting Hindu sentiments.

The incident occurred on Thursday morning in the Guddipara area of Udayband village under the City Kotwali police station. According to police, a “chungi sabha” or healing assembly was organised at the residence of Badrinath Bareth, 40. Locals, including several women and men from the village, gathered for the event.

Healing Claims Spark Row

Organisers allegedly distributed Christian literature and offered “miraculous water” to participants, claiming it could cure ailments. A video that surfaced later showed the pastor making strong remarks against Hindu deities. He reportedly told the gathering that gods like Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma “could do nothing,” while two sips of the blessed water from Jesus Christ would heal all diseases.

The remarks triggered immediate backlash. Activists from the Hindu Jagran Manch reached the spot after receiving information about the gathering. Suresh Soni, a local functionary of the outfit, alleged that people were being lured under the pretext of medical treatment and persuaded to change their faith.

Complaint Leads to Swift Police Action

Soni and other Hindu activists lodged a written complaint at the City Kotwali police station. They accused the pastor and the house owner of attempting religious conversion and making derogatory statements against Hindu gods. Acting on the complaint, police registered an FIR against the duo under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 299 and Section 3(5).

Pastor Rathram Milhange, 38, and Badrinath Bareth were taken into custody the same day. Both were later produced before a magistrate and sent to judicial remand. Police also seized Christian religious literature from the spot.

Background of Similar Incidents

This is not the first time such gatherings have created tension in Chhattisgarh. In recent months, Hindu organisations have protested similar “healing assemblies” in districts like Dhamtari, where allegations of mass conversion attempts led to heated confrontations and police deployment. In those cases too, complaints centred around promises of miraculous cures and distribution of Bibles.

Local residents in Udayband expressed mixed reactions. Some who attended the meeting said they had gone seeking relief from chronic illnesses. Others, however, criticised the event for allegedly crossing into religious propaganda.

Officials Respond

Senior police officials confirmed that the investigation is underway. “We have registered the case based on the complaint and arrested the accused. Further probe is in progress to ascertain the full sequence of events,” a police officer said. Authorities have appealed for calm and warned against spreading unverified videos that could disturb communal harmony.

Impact on Village Atmosphere

The episode has left the otherwise quiet village on edge. Several villagers said they were unaware of the religious undertones when they attended the gathering. Hindu organisations have demanded stricter monitoring of such home-based prayer meetings, claiming they often serve as covers for conversion activities in rural pockets.

District administration officials said they are monitoring the situation closely. No untoward incident was reported after the arrests, though tension persists in the area.

Questions Over Regulation of Faith Healings

The Janjgir-Champa case has once again brought into focus the thin line between personal faith practices and organised attempts at religious conversion. Chhattisgarh has witnessed periodic debates over anti-conversion laws and the need to protect tribal and rural populations from alleged inducements.

As the investigation proceeds, both sides are likely to present their versions before the court. Police have called upon community leaders to maintain peace while the legal process takes its course.

The accused have not yet issued any public statement following their arrest. Their families maintained that the gathering was a private prayer meeting and denied any forcible conversion.

This development comes amid growing vigilance by Hindu outfits across Chhattisgarh against what they describe as “targeted religious harvesting” in small villages. Authorities, meanwhile, find themselves walking a tightrope between upholding the law and preserving social harmony.

Congress leader’s son murdered in Chhattisgarh: 3 contract killers arrested, mastermind on the run

In a major breakthrough, the Janjgir-Champa police have arrested three individuals in connection with the brutal murder of Ayush Kashyap, the 19-year-old son of a local Congress leader. The young student was gunned down inside his home in Karhi village on the intervening night of April 23 and 24. According to local authorities, the killing was the fallout of professional rivalry, financial disputes, and growing resentment over the family’s expanding sand and transport business.

The arrested accused have been identified as Hemant Kumar Baghel (23), Bhushan Baghel (23), and Amit Tandon (28), all residents of the same village. However, the prime mastermind behind the contract killing and a few other associates remain at large.

Midnight attack shaking Karhi village

The incident took place under the jurisdiction of the Birra police station. Late in the evening, three masked men managed to sneak into the residence of Sammelal Kashyap, a prominent cement-sand trader and former Block Congress Vice President.

Before executing the crime, the attackers locked the victim’s parents in their bedroom from the outside to prevent any immediate resistance. They then barged into the room where Ayush, a second-year BA LLB student, was sleeping alongside his younger brother Ashutosh (16) and sister Prerna. The assailants shot Ayush twice in the head and chest, killing him on the spot. Ashutosh, a Class 10 student, sustained a gunshot wound to his shoulder while attempting to save his brother.

Business rivalry behind the hit

Initial reports indicate that the murder was orchestrated out of jealousy over the family’s rapidly growing financial influence. Ayush had recently taken charge of his father's sand and gravel business, actively managing operations after acquiring new heavy machinery, including a JCB and a Hyva truck.

"The suspects confessed that they were envious of the young man's rising business clout and influence in the region," a senior police official familiar with the matter said. During interrogation, Bhushan Baghel revealed that his family had an ongoing financial dispute with the Kashyaps regarding an unpaid loan. This grudge, combined with intense corporate competition, prompted them to accept a hit contract. Disturbingly, sources revealed that Bhushan had previously taken a ₹7 lakh bounty in 2023 to assassinate Sammelal Kashyap, though that attempt had failed.

Inter-state manhunt nabs trio

Following the attack, the accused fled the state and took refuge in Gujarat, taking up manual labor jobs to blend in. The Chhattisgarh police launched a massive multi-state investigation dubbed 'Operation Hunt'. Joint teams from Korba, Janjgir, and Bilaspur districts tracked leads across seven states, including Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Delhi, and Jammu & Kashmir.

Investigators scanned over 200 CCTV footprints and utilized cyber surveillance to zero in on the suspects. Recognizing local patterns, the police summoned the trio back to Chhattisgarh under a pretext for questioning, where they eventually cracked and confessed to the crime.

Weapons recovered, hunt continues

Local authorities confirmed the recovery of a pistol, two magazines, and a motorcycle used during the commission of the crime. Ground-level cues indicate that the suspects had closely monitored the house, even destroying a CCTV camera mounted near the property just before breaking in to escape detection.

While the primary executioners are behind bars, Janjgir-Champa Superintendent of Police Vijay Kumar Pandey, who recently visited the grieving family in Karhi village, stated that the investigation is far from over. Teams are currently deployed to track down the exact source of the funding and apprehend the mastermind who ordered the hit on the Congress leader’s son.

Bus Overturns in Janjgir-Champa, 14 Passengers Injured Including Women and Children A speeding bus travelling from Korba to Saraipali lost control in Chhattisgarh's Janjgir-Champa district Sunday morning, leaving over a dozen injured

Accident in Karnaoud Village

A passenger bus overturned on the roadside in Karnaoud village, Janjgir-Champa district of Chhattisgarh on Sunday morning, injuring 14 people. The incident, which took place around 8:30 AM in the Birra police station area, sent local residents scrambling to pull passengers out through broken windows.

The Rajdhani bus, operating on the Korba–Saraipali route, was carrying more than 50 passengers at the time — several of them standing in the aisle. The sheer overcrowding worsened the situation when the vehicle lost control.

How the Accident Unfolded

According to a young passenger who was on board, the bus was travelling at roughly 65 km/h when the driver attempted to cut past an oncoming bus coming from the Birra side. The manoeuvre went wrong. The vehicle ran on three wheels for nearly 50 metres before tipping over onto the roadside.

Locals broke through the glass to pull injured passengers out. Police from Birra station arrived shortly after and coordinated ambulance services to the scene.

Women and Children Among the Hurt

CSP Yogita Bali Khaparde confirmed that 14 people sustained injuries in the crash — 9 women, 3 children, and 2 men. Ten of them were admitted to the Community Health Centre (CHC) at Bamhnidih. Three others, who suffered more serious injuries, were referred to the District Hospital in Janjgir, where treatment is ongoing. The remaining passengers escaped without injury.

Driver Flees the Scene

Notably, the bus driver fled the spot immediately after the accident. Police have launched a search and confirmed that action will be taken against him as per the law. Preliminary investigation points clearly to rash and negligent driving as the cause of the crash.

What Officials Said

"Initial findings indicate driver negligence. Overspeeding and careless driving led to this accident," CSP Khaparde said. She added that the injured are receiving medical attention and the investigation is underway.

Congress Leader’s Son Shot Dead In Janjgir Home Invasion

Three Masked Men Attack Family

Three masked assailants stormed the residence of a former block Congress vice-president in Chhattisgarh’s Janjgir-Champa district late Thursday night. The attackers shot dead the leader’s 19-year-old son and critically injured his younger sibling.

The incident occurred around 12:30 am in Karhi village under the Birra police station limits. Police said the assailants entered the house and opened fire indiscriminately. The victim, Ayush Kashyap, suffered bullet wounds to the head and chest and died on the spot. His 16-year-old brother Ashutosh remains critical.

Parents Locked In Separate Room

According to preliminary investigation, the three masked men first locked the parents inside a room. They then targeted the children sleeping in another room. Ayush, a second-year BA LLB student, was hit twice. Ashutosh, a Class 10 student, sustained a bullet injury on his shoulder.

Cash And iPhone Stolen

Police sources indicated that the attackers fled with around Rs 60 in cash and an iPhone. The family has three children. Their daughter Prerna Kashyap, a BPM officer posted in Jagdalpur, was also home on leave during the attack. She witnessed the shooting.

Sister Recounts Earlier Visit

Prerna told police that three young men had come to their house a week ago asking about Ayush. She added that all three attackers wore masks during Thursday night’s assault. The family said the assailants also took three mobile phones before escaping.

Father Alleges Sand Trade Rivalry

The victim’s father, Sammlal Kashyap, alleged that the murder stemmed from a sand mining business dispute. “Ayush had recently purchased a hyva truck and a JCB. He had become active in the trade. That is the only reason someone would want him dead,” Kashyap told police.

Local Congress leaders, including MLA Vyas Kashyap and Jaijaipur MLA Baleshwar Sahu, visited the crime scene late Thursday night.

Police Launch Massive Manhunt

Acting Superintendent of Police Nivedita Paul and Additional SP Umesh Kashyap reached the spot along with cyber and forensic teams. Officials confirmed that the attackers used motorcycles. Police have set up barricades across the town and are scanning CCTV footage from nearby areas.

“We are also analysing call detail records to identify the suspects,” an officer said. The body has been sent for post-mortem. The younger brother continues to receive treatment at the district hospital.

What Next

Authorities have formed multiple teams to track down the three masked assailants. Investigators are examining whether a recent land dispute or sand mining rivalry motivated the attack. Police expect to make arrests within 48 hours based on technical surveillance leads.

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.