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.

Kawardha: Woman murders sister-in-law over domestic feud, attempts to frame it as sexual assault

A 33-year-old woman was arrested in Chhattisgarh’s Kabirdham for killing her sister-in-law and stripping the body to mislead investigators.

In a chilling case of domestic animosity turned violent, the Kawardha police have arrested a woman for allegedly murdering her sister-in-law at a farm in Singarpur village. The accused, identified as Malti Markam, reportedly attempted to stage the crime scene to look like a sexual assault in a bid to divert the police investigation toward an unknown male suspect.

The victim, 32-year-old Belsiya Chhedaiya, was found dead in the Jhonkakhar fields on May 3. Initial observations by the Sahaspur Lohara police suggested a case of rape and murder as the body was found in a semi-nude state with brutal injuries to the head and face. However, forensic analysis and inconsistent evidence at the site soon led investigators back to the victim’s own family.

Dispute over household chores

According to senior police officials, the motive behind the murder was a long-standing bitterness between the two women. Malti had been living at her paternal home for the last five years after separating from her husband due to his alcohol addiction. Sources familiar with the matter said that frequent arguments occurred between Malti and Belsiya regarding daily household chores and the division of family resources.

The friction was not new. Local residents informed the police that the duo had engaged in physical altercations previously. Around six months ago, Malti had allegedly tried to strangulate Belsiya, but the family intervened just in time to prevent a tragedy.

Planned attack in the fields

On the morning of May 3, Malti reportedly tracked Belsiya to the fields where she was working alone. "The accused attacked the victim from behind using a heavy iron tool (locally known as a rapli). Multiple blows were struck to the head, leading to immediate death," a police spokesperson confirmed.

Following the murder, the accused admitted to tearing the victim’s clothes. She told investigators that she had seen similar crime scenarios on social media and news reports, which gave her the idea to frame the incident as a sexual crime by a stranger.

Forensic evidence nails accused

The police team, led by SP Dharmendra Singh, grew suspicious when the FSL (Forensic Science Laboratory) and Cyber Cell teams found no biological evidence of sexual assault. Recovery of specific items from the spot—including a sickle, broken bangles, and cloth fragments—began pointing toward a struggle involving a female assailant.

"The staging was deliberate but lacked consistency with the medical reports. During sustained interrogation, Malti Markam broke down and confessed to the crime," officials said.

Community in shock

The incident has left the village of Singarpur in shock. Neighbors described the family as hardworking but acknowledged that the internal bickering was a known issue. The police have recovered the murder weapon and the blood-stained clothes of the accused.

Malti Markam has been booked under relevant sections of the BNS (formerly IPC) for murder and destroying evidence. She was produced before a local court on Wednesday and has been sent to judicial remand.

Police call for vigilance

The Kabirdham police have urged citizens to report domestic disputes to the village panchayat or local outposts before they escalate into violence. This case marks the second major incident of domestic-related homicide in the region this month, following a similar violent outburst in Raipur where a man shot his relatives over a marital dispute.

Chandranath Rath, the personal assistant to Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, was shot dead late Wednesday night on National Highway 12 near Madhyamgram in North 24 Parganas district. Police said the attackers had been tracking his movements for at least a week before intercepting his vehicle and firing at close range.

The incident occurred around 11:30 pm when Rath was travelling in a Scorpio towards Siliguri. Near the Doharia area on Jessore Road, bike-borne assailants surrounded the vehicle and opened fire. The driver and two others were also injured.

Eight to fifteen rounds

Initial reports suggested four rounds were fired. But police later revised the count to 8-10 rounds. Hospital sources, however, told reporters that post-mortem examination suggested up to 15-16 bullet injuries. A three-member medical team led by Dr Kallol Ray has been constituted for the autopsy.

Rath sustained gunshot wounds to his chest and head. He was declared brought dead at a nearby hospital.

Movement tracked for a week

Police analysis of CCTV footage from key roads revealed the attackers had monitored Rath’s daily routine meticulously — the routes he took, the vehicle he used, and even the seat he occupied inside the car.

“The assailants knew exactly when and where to intercept him,” an official familiar with the probe said.

Kolkata Police have so far collected footage from eight CCTV cameras. State DGP Siddhinath Gupta is personally reviewing the visuals. A Special Investigation Team is being formed.

Political fallout

BJP workers staged a blockade on NH-12 overnight, demanding an encounter of the attackers. Party spokesperson Keya Ghosh appealed for calm but alleged that back-office BJP workers were being deliberately targeted. “The BJP envisions a government of change, not revenge,” she said.

BJP leader Rakesh Singh went further, demanding the arrest of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and party leader Abhishek Banerjee. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to arrive in Kolkata later today.

TMC demands court-monitored CBI probe

In an unexpected move, the Trinamool Congress condemned the killing and demanded a CBI inquiry under court supervision. “We demand strict action. The killing of other BJP and TMC workers should also be investigated,” the party said in a statement.

Mother alleges political motive

Hasirani Rath, the victim’s mother, demanded life imprisonment for the killers. “I do not want them hanged, I want life imprisonment,” she said, alleging her son was targeted for political reasons linked to Adhikari’s electoral victory over Banerjee.

Separate shooting same night

About an hour after Rath’s killing, a BJP worker named Rohit Roy was shot and critically injured in Basirhat district. Over the last two days, at least five political workers — two from the BJP and three from the TMC — have reportedly been killed in the state.

A special session of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly has been called for May 25.

Bilaspur: BA student hacked to death after intervening in dispute over girl; 5 held

A 22-year-old youth was brutally murdered in the Sarkanda area of Bilaspur late Saturday night after he attempted to rescue his cousin from a group of attackers. The deceased, identified as a BA second-year student, was reportedly slashed across the neck with a sharp-edged weapon.

In a chilling incident reported from the Mopka locality under the Sarkanda police station limits, a young college student lost his life while trying to shield his younger brother from a violent assault. The victim, Abhishek Yadav, was killed on the spot after his throat was slit with a ‘chapar’ (meat cleaver) during a heated confrontation involving a dispute over a friendship with a local girl.

Late-night confrontation turns fatal

The violence broke out late Saturday night when Abhishek’s cousin, 16-year-old Omprakash Yadav, was intercepted by a group of local youths. Sources indicate that Omprakash had been in a running dispute with one Ashish Suryavanshi regarding his association with a girl in the neighborhood.

What started as a verbal spat on Friday escalated into a physical face-off by Saturday. As the group began thrashing Omprakash, Abhishek rushed to the scene to intervene. In the ensuing scuffle, the primary accused allegedly pulled out a weapon concealed in his waistband and struck Abhishek’s neck.

Chaos at the crime scene

Ground reports suggest the attack was sudden and left no time for the victims to retreat. Abhishek collapsed immediately due to heavy blood loss. Local residents and friends who reached the spot shortly after the incident rushed both brothers to Apollo Hospital.

While Omprakash is currently undergoing treatment for injuries sustained during the beating, doctors declared Abhishek dead on arrival. Bloodstains and a pair of slippers belonging to the victim remained at the site on Sunday morning as forensic teams conducted their preliminary investigation.

Angry locals surround police station

As news of the murder spread through Mopka, tension gripped the area. On Sunday, a large crowd comprising family members and local residents gathered outside the Sarkanda police station.

Nearly 60 people staged a protest, demanding immediate and "strictest possible action" against the culprits. The protesters refused to leave until senior officials assured them of a fast-track investigation. The heavy police presence remained deployed in the area to prevent any further flare-up of communal or local tensions.

Five suspects taken into custody

Following the outcry, Bilaspur police launched a swift manhunt. By Sunday afternoon, officials confirmed the arrest of five individuals in connection with the homicide. Among those detained are three brothers—Ashish Suryavanshi (22), Mahavir Suryavanshi (23), and Raghuvir Suryavanshi (26).

"The accused are originally residents of Selar village in the Sipat area but were currently living in a rented accommodation in Mopka," a police official familiar with the probe stated. Two minors have also been apprehended for their alleged involvement in the assault.

Escalating youth violence in Bilaspur

The incident has once again brought the issue of blade-related violence among youth to the forefront in Bilaspur. Local community leaders expressed concern over how a minor dispute over a conversation could lead to a daylight murder.

The police have recovered the weapon used in the crime and are currently recording statements from Omprakash, who is the primary witness to his brother’s killing. Further interrogation of the arrested suspects is underway to determine if the attack was premeditated or a result of sudden provocation.

Unidentified Woman Found Dead on Rewa’s NH-39 

Body bearing multiple injury marks recovered near petrol pump; police probe accident and murder angles as identification efforts continue.

A woman, yet to be identified, was found dead under suspicious circumstances along National Highway-39 in Rewa district early on Saturday morning, triggering a police investigation into possible homicide or a hit-and-run.

Body Found Near Petrol Pump

Local residents spotted the body around 6:30 am near the Gerui petrol pump on the Rewa-Sidhi stretch. The woman, believed to be in her early thirties, was lying on the service lane. Bystanders said the spot is not very isolated, but the early hour meant fewer vehicles were passing by.

Injury Marks Raise Suspicion

Officials from the Gudh police station reached the scene after being alerted by passersby. Initial examination of the body revealed multiple injury marks on the face, arms, and torso. “The nature of some wounds does not clearly point to a road accident. We are keeping both possibilities open — a vehicle strike or a deliberate assault,” a police officer present at the site told reporters.

Accident or murder? Police probe both angles

According to sources familiar with the matter, no skid marks or vehicle debris were found immediately near the body, which has added to the suspicion. Investigators are now checking CCTV footage from nearby dhabas and fuel pumps. A forensic team has collected samples from the spot.

“The exact cause of death will be known only after the post-mortem report arrives. Till then, nothing can be ruled out,” said a senior official from Gudh police station.

Efforts on to identify victim

The woman had no identity documents or mobile phone on her. Police have circulated photographs of the deceased among nearby villages and toll plaza staff. Local residents have been questioned, but no missing person complaint matching her description has been filed in the immediate area so far.

What happens next

The body has been sent to the district hospital for autopsy. A case under relevant sections of the BNS has been registered. Police said they are also scanning records of recent missing women from Rewa, Sidhi, and adjoining districts. Officials have appealed to anyone with information to come forward.