Raipur Horror: Man Buried Alive

A 29-year-old man of Pakistani origin was allegedly beaten unconscious and buried alive by a rival and his associates, reportedly for harassing the main accused’s girlfriend.

Police have arrested five individuals, including a woman, while a search is on for one more suspect. The victim, Nitesh Batra, a contractor living in Raipur, did not hold Indian citizenship. His body was recovered five days after the incident from a murum mine in Abhanpur.

Crime That Shook Raipur

The primary accused, Shyam Sundar Soni, runs a vegetable shop in Mana. He was in a relationship with Savitri Sahu. According to police sources, Soni alleged that Batra would constantly call and harass Sahu.

On the night of March 16, Batra arrived at Sahu’s home in Mana. Soni reached the spot moments later. An argument broke out, escalating into a brutal attack.

40km Auto Ride to Death

Officials stated that Soni called two of his employees. The trio beat Batra with a wooden stick on his head, leaving him critically injured and unconscious. Instead of seeking help, they decided to eliminate him.

The assailants loaded the half-dead man into an auto-rickshaw. They drove for nearly 40 kilometres, crossing the jurisdiction of four police stations – Muzgahan, Mana, Tikrapara, and Abhanpur – without raising any suspicion.

Buried Alive in Mine Pit

Reaching the remote Bherengabhatta village, the accused stopped near a murum mine. Police reports indicate the victim was still alive. The men first tried to strangle him with a cloth. Then, they dug a pit and buried him.

A post-mortem report confirmed the cause of death as suffocation due to soil entering the mouth and windpipe. “The victim was buried in a semi-conscious state,” a forensic expert indicated.

Body Found Five Days Later

On March 21, villagers spotted a hand and a leg protruding from the ground near the mine. They alerted the Abhanpur police. An executive magistrate supervised the exhumation of the body.

Identification was difficult, but police matched the remains with a missing person report filed at the Mana police station. Tattoos on the body helped confirm Batra’s identity.

Five Arrested, One Absconding

Police have arrested Shyam Sundar Soni, his girlfriend Savitri Sahu, associate Sumit Kosle, and two minors. The autorickshaw used in the crime and the murder weapon have been seized.

“The accused have confessed to their involvement. They were angry that the victim was harassing the female accused,” a senior police officer said. A sixth accused, Michael Saini, remains on the run.

A Disturbing Public Interest Story

This incident has raised serious questions about police patrols and checkpoints. An auto-rickshaw carrying an unconscious man passed four police stations without being stopped. Locals are demanding a thorough inquiry into the police negligence.

As this trending news India story develops, authorities have assured a fast-track trial. The search for the absconding accused is ongoing across state borders.