The main accused in the killing of former Janpad Panchayat president Bharat Singh and two others has surrendered before police, taking the total arrests in the case to eight.

The mastermind behind the brutal murder of BJP leader Bharat Singh alias Lalla Singh and two others, who were burnt alive in their vehicle, surrendered before police on Saturday along with three other accused.

Manoj Tripathi, identified as the main conspirator, surrendered at the Manendragarh police station along with Nishant Tripathi, Aman and Ashutosh Tripathi. Police had been conducting extensive search operations across multiple states to trace the absconding accused.

The August 16 Attack

The incident occurred late on June 16 in Naugain village of Koriya district when a group of assailants blocked a Fortuner vehicle by positioning trucks in front and behind it. The attackers then doused the vehicle with petrol and set it ablaze, killing those trapped inside.

The victims were former Janpad Panchayat president Bharat Singh alias Lalla Singh, his cousin and teacher Nagendra Singh, and another person who succumbed to injuries in Ambikapur. A fourth person was injured and referred to Raipur for treatment.

Police Confirm Surrender

Manendragarh Superintendent of Police Ratna Singh confirmed the development, stating that continuous police pressure and raids had compelled the accused to surrender.

"Police teams were conducting raids across Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh to locate the accused. Photographs of the suspects were circulated to police forces in neighbouring states," Singh said.

She added that the investigation would now be pursued further by the Koriya police to establish the complete sequence of events.

Sand Mining Dispute Background

The murder stemmed from a long-running dispute over illegal sand mining and extortion between the Singh and Tripathi families in the region.

According to sources, the sand mining contract at Chirmi ghat was awarded to Mayank Singh approximately eight months ago. Following this, the Singh family began collecting ₹1,000 per truck from illegally mined sand from Sonhat, Kailashpur, Telimuda, Belia and Chhingura.

The Tripathi family, which owns tipper vehicles and transports sand to district headquarters Baikunthpur for sale, refused to pay the levy. This disagreement had created tension between the two families for several months.

Escalation and Assault

The immediate trigger for the murder was an assault that occurred on Tuesday when Nishant Tripathi was attacked by members of the Singh family near Shivghat in Naugain. An FIR was registered at the Sonhat police station in connection with the assault.

Bharat Singh had gone to Naugain village on the day of the murder, reportedly in an attempt to resolve the dispute. However, the assailants launched a planned attack, trapping him and others in the vehicle before setting it on fire.

Political Connections

Bharat Singh was a close associate of Baikunthpur MLA Bhaiyalal Rajwade and a known strongman in the area. Accused Manoj Tripathi is considered a close associate of former Union Minister of State and BJP MLA Renuka Singh.

The family feud had also drawn the attention of law enforcement earlier. A complaint regarding an illegal siren fitted on Bharat Singh's Fortuner was filed at the Sonhat police station. Police removed the siren reportedly under pressure from Renuka Singh, which further escalated tensions, according to sources.

Arrests So Far

Four accused — Akshat Tripathi, Satyaprakash Tripathi, Mannu Tripathi and Vishal Tripathi — were arrested earlier in the case. They were produced before court on Thursday evening and sent to judicial custody.

With the surrender of Manoj Tripathi and three others on Saturday, a total of eight people have now been arrested in connection with the triple murder. One accused remains absconding, and police teams are continuing their search operations.

Public Outrage

The incident has sparked widespread outrage in the region. The Karni Sena has warned of protests and declared that it stands with the victim's family until justice is delivered.

Former Deputy Chief Minister T.S. Singh Deo criticized the state government's failure to control sand mafia activity in the region.

"Police had information about the rivalry and tension between the two families. Despite this, three people were murdered," Singh Deo said. "Sand mafia is so powerful that a government employee was killed on the Chhattisgarh-Jharkhand border. If you cannot control this, then the contract system should be abolished."

The Investigation Continues

Police have appealed to the public to maintain peace as the investigation proceeds. The case has also raised questions about the involvement of political leaders in the sand mining mafia and the failure to prevent escalating violence between rival groups.