A watchman posted at the Forest Division Office in Bijapur was found dead under suspicious circumstances during his night shift, prompting a police investigation into the incident.

The deceased has been identified as Lingam Chandru, who was on regular night duty at the Forest Division Office on Saturday night (July 25). His body was discovered near the main entrance gate of the office premises on Sunday morning.

Body Found Near Main Gate

According to preliminary information, Forest Department employees found Chandru lying near the main gate when they arrived for work in the morning. Officials said the main gate was reportedly locked from inside when the body was discovered.

The incident was immediately reported to senior Forest Department officials and the police, who reached the spot and initiated an investigation.

Cause of Death Yet to Be Determined

The sudden death has left officials and colleagues shocked, with the Forest Department expressing grief over the loss of its employee.

Police said the exact cause of death remains unclear at this stage, and no conclusions have been drawn regarding the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Investigators are examining all possible angles as part of the inquiry.

Post-Mortem Ordered

The body has been sent for post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death.

Police officials stated that further action will depend on the findings of the autopsy report and the evidence collected during the investigation.

Authorities have urged people to avoid speculation until the medical examination and investigation are completed.

Police act on eyewitness account and victim's videos; accused allegedly demanded ₹1 crore and threatened truck driver after accident on Jagdalpur-Bijapur highway

Police have arrested the owner of a Mercedes car in connection with the suicide of a 25-year-old truck driver who allegedly took his own life after being threatened and assaulted following a road accident on the Jagdalpur-Bijapur National Highway-63.

The accused, identified as Sagar Hemla, was arrested after investigators examined eyewitness statements, social media videos recorded by the deceased before his death, and other digital evidence. He has been booked on charges related to criminal intimidation and abetment allegations and was sent to judicial custody after being produced before a court.

The case has drawn widespread attention after the victim's family alleged that the truck driver was subjected to physical assault, intimidation and an alleged demand for ₹1 crore as compensation following the accident.

According to police, the incident dates back to June 11, when a collision took place between a truck and a Mercedes car near Banjari Ghat on National Highway-63 in the Gidam police station area. Investigators said that following the accident, the truck driver, Tamradhwaj Sahu alias Sonu (25), was allegedly abused, assaulted and threatened by the Mercedes owner.

Family members have alleged that the accused demanded ₹1 crore for the damage caused to the luxury vehicle and threatened to kill the truck driver and harm his family if the amount was not paid. The alleged harassment reportedly left the young driver mentally distressed.

The following day, Tamradhwaj allegedly died by suicide after hanging himself.

Before taking the extreme step, the victim uploaded multiple videos on his social media accounts, claiming that he had been assaulted and threatened after the accident. In the videos, he reportedly narrated the circumstances that led to his emotional distress.

The victim's uncle, Hem Singh, who claims to have witnessed the incident, alleged that he was present with Tamradhwaj during the accident. According to him, the accused physically assaulted the truck driver and demanded ₹1 crore, while also issuing life threats.

Following complaints from the victim's relatives, Gidam police intensified the investigation. Officers visited the accident spot, recorded eyewitness statements and examined digital evidence, including the social media videos, mobile screenshots and other electronic records.

Based on the available evidence collected during the investigation, police arrested Sagar Hemla, a resident of Gangaloor in Bijapur district. He was later produced before a local court, which remanded him to judicial custody.

The case has also sparked controversy after the victim's family alleged that two of the eight videos uploaded by Tamradhwaj before his death went missing during the investigation. The family has demanded a fair and transparent probe into the matter and urged authorities to recover all digital evidence.

Responding to the developments, SDOP Govind Singh Diwan said the accused has been booked under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). He added that the investigation remains ongoing and further legal action will depend on the evidence that emerges during the course of the probe.

The arrest marks a significant development in the case, which has raised concerns over alleged intimidation following road accidents and the psychological impact such incidents can have on victims. Police have maintained that every aspect of the case, including the digital evidence and witness testimonies, is being examined thoroughly before filing the final charges.

Chhattisgarh Transport Department on Monday ordered a wide-ranging administrative reshuffle, transferring 165 officers and staff across the state as part of an effort to streamline operations and strengthen field-level oversight. The transfers, issued by the Transport Commissioner’s office, include new appointments to several district and checkpost roles, with Narayanpur and Bijapur receiving new in-charge district transport officers (DTOs).

Major move announced
According to the official order seen by this reporter, the roster covers 46 transport inspectors, 50 transport sub‑inspectors, 16 assistant sub‑inspectors, 35 head guards (pradhan aaraksak) and 18 guards (aaraksak). The department has instructed all transferred personnel to assume charge at their new postings with immediate effect.

New district leads named
Sources in the department confirmed that Transport Inspector Anupam Patel, previously posted with the Korba flying squad (udandasta), has been appointed the in‑charge DTO of Narayanpur. Sanat Kumar Jagde, who was serving in Durg, has been given charge of Bijapur district. Officials described both postings as administratively significant because the two districts present logistical and regulatory challenges that require experienced supervision.

Other key placements
The transfer list also named several operational moves intended to tighten enforcement at checkposts and improve mobile squad coverage. Krishna Kumar Chaubey has moved from Ambikapur to the Chilfi checkpost; Vaibhav Shukla has been shifted from Raipur to Ramanujganj; and Mohammad Abid Khan will now serve at the Dhanpunji checkpost, coming from Kota. In Raipur’s flying squad, Santosh Kumar Rathore, Chandra Kumar Sahu and Aruna Sahu have been newly posted.

In Bilaspur, Mahendra Kumar Kuldeep has been posted to the transport office, while Rajendra Kumar Barman has been shifted from Patekohra checkpost to the Raigarh flying squad. Keshav Prasad Rajwade moves to the Durg flying squad, and Jitendra Bhushan has been assigned responsibilities at the Patekohra checkpost.

Reason and expected effects
An official who asked not to be named said the reshuffle is “part of routine administrative practice,” aimed at improving transparency, administrative control and the operational efficiency of the transport department across districts. “Rotations help reduce localised complacency and ensure fresh supervision at busy checkposts,” the source added.

Transport department communiqués and local officials indicate the move also targets strengthening field‑level monitoring of goods and passenger vehicle compliance, tolling of permits, and enforcement against overloading and safety lapses — issues that remain high priorities for regional transport enforcement teams.

Ground-level context
On the ground, drivers and operators at several checkposts said they expected short-term disruption as new officers settled in. “There will be some adjustment, but if the new DTOs focus on quick permit clearances and fair enforcement, operators here will welcome it,” said a transport contractor at a Raipur transit hub, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Administrative staff in a couple of districts reported receiving transfer orders late Sunday evening, and several officers left for their new stations overnight. Local officials expect the administrative handover to be completed within a few days, barring travel delays.

Next steps and oversight
The department has stressed immediate joining and directed senior officers to oversee a smooth transition. District authorities will likely hold briefings this week to hand over files, update vehicle records and reassign local teams.

Transport analysts note that while transfers alone do not guarantee better enforcement, rotating personnel — when paired with clear performance targets and supervisory checks — can improve responsiveness, especially at checkposts that handle heavy commercial traffic.

What to watch
In the coming weeks, the department’s ability to quickly stabilise operations at key checkposts and maintain permit and safety oversight will be a practical test of this reshuffle. Motorists and transport unions have said they will watch for changes in enforcement patterns and any impact on clearance times at major transit points.

For now, the department is moving ahead with immediate effect orders and has signalled a tighter focus on field monitoring and administrative control across Chhattisgarh.