Balco Nagar Police Crack Down on Sexual Exploitation of 17-Year-Old

In a disturbing case highlighting the misuse of mobile phones in personal relationships, police in Korba have arrested 10 people, including a 30-year-old man, for allegedly creating and circulating an explicit video of his minor girlfriend to blackmail her. The arrests followed a complaint by the girl's brother after she faced repeated harassment and pressure for sexual favours from the accused.

According to police, the main accused, Hori Lal Chauhan, a daily wage labourer, was in a relationship with the 17-year-old girl for nearly two years. Both hail from the same village in the Balco Nagar police station area. The girl had dropped out after Class 10. What began as a personal affair took a dark turn when Chauhan allegedly recorded intimate videos of the girl without her full consent.

Video Shared Among Friends

Initial investigations suggest Chauhan showed the explicit clips to his friends, who are also labourers in the area. Instead of keeping the matter private, the friends reportedly developed ill intentions. They began making obscene gestures at the girl whenever they saw her and started pressuring her for physical relations.

The situation escalated when the group allegedly resorted to blackmail. Sources familiar with the probe said the accused threatened to make the video viral if she refused their demands. The girl, feeling trapped and harassed, finally confided in her brother. The siblings then approached the Balco Nagar police station and lodged a formal complaint.

Swift Police Action

Acting promptly on the complaint, police registered a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code for rape and blackmailing, along with stringent provisions of the POCSO Act, which protects children from sexual offences. Within hours, a team detained all 10 accused. 

“Initial reports indicate that the main accused and his associates were involved in this conspiracy,” a police officer said, speaking on condition of anonymity. All the arrested individuals work as daily wage labourers in the region.

Accused Sent to Judicial Custody

After medical examination and preliminary questioning, the accused were produced before a local court. The magistrate remanded them to judicial custody and sent them to jail. Further investigation is underway to determine if the video was circulated beyond the immediate group and to trace any other potential victims or evidence. 

Police have also appealed to locals not to share such content, warning that doing so could attract additional legal action under IT laws.

Background and Growing Concern

This incident comes amid rising cases of digital exploitation involving minors in Chhattisgarh. In many rural and semi-urban pockets of the state, easy access to cheap smartphones has led to an increase in such privacy violations, especially in interpersonal relationships. Experts often point to lack of awareness about consent and digital safety as key factors.

The girl’s family has been provided counselling support, and authorities are ensuring her privacy and safety during the investigation. Child rights activists have welcomed the swift arrests but called for stronger community-level awareness drives.

Impact on Local Community

Residents in the Balco Nagar area expressed shock over the incident. Many parents voiced concerns about the safety of young girls in the region, especially as they navigate personal relationships in the digital age. Local officials indicated that awareness programmes on cyber safety and legal rights might be intensified in nearby villages.

The case also underscores the effectiveness of quick police response when POCSO matters are reported promptly. Senior police officers have assured that the investigation will be thorough and that no stone will be left unturned to deliver justice.

As the probe continues, authorities are examining the sequence of events, including how and when the video was recorded and shared. Legal experts note that convictions in such POCSO-linked blackmail cases often result in stringent punishments.

Tension gripped Risda Basti in Chhattisgarh’s Korba district on Thursday after locals caught a woman in an objectionable situation with a young man. The incident, which unfolded in the Civil Lines police station area, was captured on video and has sparked widespread anger in the neighbourhood.

According to initial reports, the woman, a mother of a child, was found with the youth inside her house. As residents raised an alarm and rushed towards the spot, the young man fled the scene, abandoning his bike. Locals attempted to catch him but he managed to escape on foot.

Locals React Swiftly

The episode occurred when the youth arrived at the woman’s residence on a bike. Moments later, a resident began recording on his mobile phone. What he captured prompted others to gather at the spot. The video, now circulating locally, shows the pair in a compromising position before the commotion began.

Residents said the young man was a frequent visitor to the house. “He used to come often,” one local told police, adding that previous attempts to object had led to verbal abuse and threats from the woman. Many in the basti claimed her conduct had been creating discomfort for some time.

Family and Neighbourhood Concerns

The woman lives in Risda Basti with her child. Her husband reportedly works as a labourer outside the city and sometimes takes the child along. Locals alleged that the woman’s behaviour has been disturbing the peace of the otherwise quiet residential area. They also claimed her husband has been troubled by the situation.

Following the incident, a large group of residents reached the Civil Lines police station and lodged a formal complaint. They demanded strict action against both the woman and the absconding youth, warning that failure to act could lead to bigger trouble in the area.

Police Response and Investigation

Korba police have initiated action based on the complaint. CSP Prateek Chaturvedi confirmed that statements of local residents have been recorded. “Legal proceedings are underway,” he said. Police have seized the bike left behind by the youth and are trying to identify him using the vehicle’s registration number. Both the woman and the youth are likely to face legal proceedings.

Officers are questioning people from both sides to establish the full sequence of events. As of now, no formal FIR details have been made public, but sources said appropriate sections of the law will be applied.

Demand for Action Grows

The video of the incident has added fuel to public resentment. Many women and elders in the basti expressed concern over the repeated disturbances. They have urged police to take swift and visible action so that such incidents do not recur and the locality’s peaceful environment is restored.

This is not the first time such an incident has been reported from parts of Chhattisgarh. Similar cases in other districts, including a recent one involving a teacher and college student in Surguja, have also gone viral on social media, highlighting growing public sensitivity towards moral and social issues in residential areas.

Local representatives are also being approached by residents to put pressure on authorities for early resolution. Police have appealed for calm while assuring that the matter is being investigated thoroughly.

As the investigation progresses, the seized motorcycle remains a crucial piece of evidence. Authorities are hopeful of identifying and apprehending the youth soon. The woman has been questioned, though her detailed statement is yet to be released officially.

Human-elephant conflict continues to intensify in Chhattisgarh’s Korba district after two tusker elephants entered Geetkunwari village and destroyed standing paddy crops during the night. Forest officials confirmed that a total of 53 elephants are currently moving across different parts of the district in four separate groups.

The latest incident has created panic among villagers living near forest areas and has become a major India News Update linked to wildlife movement and crop destruction in the region. According to forest department officials, the two tusker elephants entered Geetkunwari village under the Kudmura range late on Thursday night after moving from the Dharamjaigarh forest division area.

The elephants reportedly entered agricultural fields and trampled several acres of standing paddy crops that were nearly ready for harvest. Farmers said they tried to drive the elephants away by shouting loudly and lighting torches, but the animals continued moving through the fields for a considerable time. By the time villagers managed to push them back toward the forest, substantial crop damage had already occurred.

Residents of the village said many farmers suffered major losses because the paddy crop was in the final stage before harvesting. Forest officials stated that the elephant movement is part of a larger pattern being witnessed across the district during the summer season.

A massive herd of 48 elephants has currently camped near Meud hill under the Jatga range of the Katghora forest division. Officials said the herd has remained active in the area since March after moving from Kukrichakhar near Katorimoti. According to the forest department, Meud hill provides abundant food and water sources, making it a preferred seasonal habitat for elephants during the summer months.

The area reportedly spreads across more than 5,000 hectares and contains sufficient vegetation, bamboo and water bodies that support large elephant groups. Officials explained that elephant herds generally remain in the Jatga range for nearly two-and-a-half to three months every year during the summer season. However, at times the animals descend from the hills and move toward nearby villages in search of food.

This recurring movement often leads to crop destruction and rising tension among villagers living near forest boundaries. The latest incident has increased fear among residents of Kudmura, Jatga and Pasan regions. Villagers said they are unable to guard their crops properly because elephant movement increases after sunset. Many families reportedly remain indoors at night due to fear of sudden encounters with elephants.

Forest department teams have started awareness announcements in villages and are advising people to remain alert during night hours. Officials said elephant response teams and local “Hathi Mitra” groups are continuously monitoring the situation and sharing movement updates with villagers. Authorities have appealed to residents not to approach elephants alone or attempt to provoke them under any circumstances.

Forest department officials also requested villagers to immediately report elephant sightings so that response teams can take preventive action in time. Meanwhile, officials have started assessing the crop damage caused in Geetkunwari village. Compensation cases are being prepared for affected farmers under existing forest and wildlife damage relief provisions.

In addition to ground monitoring, the department is also using drone surveillance to track the movement of the large elephant herd near Meud hill. Officials said drone monitoring is helping teams observe the direction and behaviour of the herd so that nearby settlements can be alerted in advance if the animals move toward residential areas. Wildlife experts have repeatedly highlighted the growing human-elephant conflict in parts of Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Jharkhand due to shrinking forest corridors and changing movement patterns of elephants.

In Korba district, incidents involving crop damage, property destruction and occasional attacks on villagers have been reported frequently over the past few years. Local residents have demanded stronger preventive measures, including solar fencing, early warning systems and better compensation support for farmers facing repeated crop losses.

Officials stated that efforts are underway to balance wildlife conservation with the safety of villagers living near forest regions. The latest elephant movement has once again brought attention to the challenges faced by rural communities situated close to elephant corridors and forest zones.

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A land demarcation dispute in Korba turned tense after villagers allegedly stopped a revenue team, blocked their vehicle and held a Revenue Inspector (RI) and Patwari at the site for nearly two hours. The incident took place in Nonbirra village under Kartala police station limits and has triggered allegations of bribery, wrongful demarcation and misuse of authority from both sides.

Videos of the incident, showing arguments and pushing between villagers and officials, have gone viral on social media. During the confrontation, one member of the family allegedly threatened suicide by bringing a rope to the site. Following a complaint by the Patwari, police registered an FIR against four villagers. At the same time, the villagers accused the revenue officials of carrying out incorrect land measurement after allegedly accepting money from the opposing party involved in the land dispute.

Dispute During Demarcation

According to officials, the incident occurred on May 8 when Patwari Bharat Chauhan and Revenue Inspector Jaipal Singh reached Baniyapara in Nonbirra village for land demarcation work. The measurement was reportedly being conducted on the instructions of the Kartala Naib Tehsildar regarding land belonging to applicant Santaram. Officials stated that the land survey and demarcation process was completed after prior notice and the information was shared with the concerned applicant. However, shortly after the measurement process, objections were raised by the applicant’s family regarding the boundary markings.

Villagers Stop Officials

Officials alleged that Santaram, along with family members Liladhar Patel, Hariram and Hukumchand Patel, started protesting against the demarcation and accused the officials of conducting incorrect measurement. During the argument, the villagers allegedly parked a motorcycle behind the officials’ vehicle, preventing them from leaving the spot.

The revenue team claimed they were forced to remain at the location for nearly two hours as tensions escalated. According to the complaint, villagers insisted that the officials would not be allowed to leave until senior administrative officers, including the Collector, Naib Tehsildar or local police officials, arrived at the scene.

Allegations Of Bribery

The protesting family accused the revenue officials of conducting biased demarcation after allegedly accepting bribes from the opposing side involved in the land dispute. Villagers claimed the land that actually required measurement was ignored and another section was measured instead.

According to the family, illegal construction and encroachment were taking place on their land for a long time, but repeated complaints to revenue officials had not resulted in any action. The family alleged that the May 8 demarcation process was conducted in favour of the opposing party through collusion and corruption.

Tension At The Spot

The dispute reportedly intensified during the confrontation between villagers and officials. Videos circulating online showed heated arguments and physical pushing between some villagers and the Patwari during the incident.

Officials claimed abusive language was used against them and threats were issued during the standoff. During the protest, one family member allegedly brought a rope and threatened to commit suicide, increasing tension at the site and forcing local authorities to intervene carefully.

FIR Registered Against Four

Based on the complaint submitted by Patwari Bharat Chauhan, Kartala police registered a case against four villagers identified as Santaram, Liladhar Patel, Hariram and Hukumchand Patel. Police said the accused are residents of Baniyapara in Nonbirra village.

The FIR has been registered under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including charges related to obstructing government work, threatening officials and unlawful behaviour. Police officials stated that an investigation into the matter is currently underway.

Family Denies Allegations

Meanwhile, the villagers denied accusations of intentionally obstructing government officials and claimed they were only demanding fair demarcation of their land. Family members alleged that incorrect measurements were repeatedly being carried out despite their objections. According to them, the dispute over land boundaries has continued for years and authorities failed to provide a proper resolution despite multiple complaints. The family also accused officials of filing a false police case to suppress their protest against alleged corruption.

Complaint Submitted To Collector

On Monday, members of the family visited the district administration office during the public grievance hearing and submitted an application to the Collector demanding an impartial investigation. In their complaint, the villagers requested a fresh technical demarcation of the land and action against officials if any irregularities are found. They alleged that revenue officials ignored their concerns and acted under influence from the opposite party. The family further demanded cancellation of the FIR, claiming the case was one-sided and filed without proper inquiry.

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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.

DSPM Plant Officers Caught Drinking in Korba Govt Guest House

Five officials from Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Thermal Power Station, including Chief Chemist Govardhan Sidar, were found consuming alcohol in a government rest house in Korba, with bottles of liquor and beer recovered from the spot.

In a shocking incident, five senior officials of the DSPM Thermal Power Plant were caught drinking at a government guest house in Korba district of Chhattisgarh on Saturday evening. The matter came to light when local BJP workers, present at the same venue for a meeting with senior party leaders, noticed suspicious activity and raised an alarm.

According to reports, the officials were partying in one of the VIP rooms of the guest house. Empty and half-filled bottles of liquor along with beer cans and glasses were recovered from the room and the kitchen freezer. A video and photographs showing the scene have also surfaced, adding to the embarrassment for the power utility.

Incident During VIP Visit

The episode unfolded when former Leader of Opposition Dharamlal Kaushik was in Korba and a meeting was organised at the VIP guest house. Union Minister for Commerce and Industry in the state government, Lakhanlal Devangan, Korba Mayor Sanju Devi Rajput, and district BJP president Gopal Modi had reached the venue to meet him.

Local party workers informed the minister that loud noises and the strong smell of cigarette smoke were coming from one of the rooms. Upon checking, they found the DSPM officials, led by Chief Chemist Govardhan Sidar, consuming alcohol. Sidar himself serves as the in-charge of the guest house.

Minister Directs Strict Action

Sources indicated that the workers immediately brought the matter to the notice of Minister Lakhanlal Devangan. The minister promptly called the Managing Director of the Chhattisgarh State Power Generation Company Limited (CSPGCL), S.K. Katiyar, and instructed him to take strict action against the erring officials.

The MD has ordered a detailed inquiry into the incident and assured that disciplinary action would be taken against those found guilty. The case falls under the jurisdiction of the CSEB police station.

Recovery of Bottles and Cans

Eyewitnesses said the room was filled with cigarette smoke. Beer bottles and cans were found inside the refrigerator, while liquor bottles and used glasses lay on the table. Officials confirmed that several bottles were also recovered from the kitchen freezer.

This is not the first time such activities have been reported at the rest house, according to local accounts. However, the presence of senior power plant officials during an official visit by political leaders has drawn sharp criticism.

Background of the Power Plant

The Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Thermal Power Station is a key power generation facility in Korba, often referred to as the power hub of Chhattisgarh. The plant plays a crucial role in meeting the state's electricity demand. Any lapse in discipline among its officers raises questions about overall administrative standards at public sector undertakings.

Impact on Public Perception

The incident has triggered widespread discussion on social media and among locals. Many have questioned how government property is being misused for personal indulgence, especially when the same premises host important political and official meetings.

Such episodes often erode public trust in government institutions and fuel demands for greater accountability. In a state where power generation remains a critical sector, maintaining professional conduct among officials is seen as essential.

What Lies Ahead

The ongoing inquiry is expected to establish the sequence of events and fix responsibility. Authorities have indicated that the probe will be completed swiftly. Depending on the findings, the officials could face departmental proceedings, including suspension or major penalty.

Minister Devangan’s intervention has been welcomed by party workers, who expect firm steps to prevent recurrence. The CSPGCL management is also under pressure to send a strong message that misconduct, especially on government premises, will not be tolerated.

The development comes close on the heels of another reported alcohol party incident at an SBI office in Bijapur district, highlighting a broader concern over discipline in public offices across Chhattisgarh.

As the state focuses on industrial growth and reliable power supply, maintaining the highest standards of integrity in its power utilities has become more important than ever.