Chhattisgarh govt hands over probe into mining rivalry-linked triple murder to CBI
The Chhattisgarh government has granted consent for a CBI probe into the murder of three people in Korea district, where a rivalry between two families
The Chhattisgarh government has granted consent for a CBI probe into the murder of three people in Korea district, where a rivalry between two families over sand mining turned deadly in mid-June, officials said. The state home department issued a notification on Tuesday. Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, who also holds the Home portfolio, said the decision to hand over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation was taken after detailed discussions. Read Full Story He said the decision had been made about a week ago, but the process took some time, and the chief minister took the final call. A second case linked to the scuffle that allegedly set off the chain of events has also been transferred to the CBI. The case relates to the killings of businessman Bharat Singh, aged around 60, Virendra Pratap Singh, 32, and Nagendra Singh, 53, near Katgodi village in Korea district.
Two others were seriously injured in the incident. Sharma said, "The case has been entrusted to the CBI to investigate the reasons behind this heinous murder, the circumstances that led to it, and whether there is any link between the two cases. We have already sent the proposal, but the CBI is yet to formally accept it and initiate further action." He said there are two eyewitnesses in the case who were injured and hospitalised, and that adequate security arrangements have been made for both. "The statement of one eyewitness has already been recorded as his condition was stable. The other injured witness is also out of danger, and his statement will be recorded following medical advice that he is fit to do so," he added. According to police, the violence began with a long-standing rivalry between the Singh and Tripathi families over sand mining operations.
Both families are from Nagoi village near Katgodi. While the Singh family now lives in Baikunthpur, it continues to run sand mining and stone-crushing businesses in the area. Police had said tensions rose after a dispute between members of the two families on June 16. The same night, Bharat Singh and his associates went to meet members of the rival group after a phone conversation, after which the confrontation turned violent. The victims were travelling in two vehicles, including an SUV, when they were allegedly ambushed by members of the rival group. The attackers repeatedly rammed the SUV with a light tipper truck, damaging it and jamming its doors, which stopped the occupants from escaping. The assailants then poured fuel on the SUV and set it on fire, police said. Those who tried to escape by breaking the windows were allegedly attacked with sharp-edged weapons.
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