A sand fight escalated to the point of being burned alive; how three people, including a BJP leader
Suspense Crime, Digital Desk : An old dispute between sand mining has escalated into a bloodbath in Korea, Chhattisgarh. Rivals allegedly set three people, including mining businessman and BJP leader Bharat Singh, on fire in a Fortuner car. State Congress President Deepak Baij alleged that BJP leaders have become enemies over illegal mining. Three people, including BJP leader Bharat Singh, were burnt alive in a Fortuner car in Korea district of Chhattisgarh, in the battle of sand mining business between the two parties, and two others were seriously injured. Police have registered a case and arrested four accused. Police officials told news agency PTI on Wednesday that the incident took place on Tuesday night when a group attacked several people in Katgodi village of Sonhat tehsil of Koriya district due to a dispute over the sand mining business. Police officials said that while traveling in two vehicles, a Toyota Fortuner SUV and a Skoda sedan, they were attacked by members of the opposing group. The attackers hit the Fortuner several times with a tipper truck, causing damage and locking the doors so the occupants could not escape. According to reports, the attackers then allegedly threw petrol and set the car on fire. Eyewitnesses also claim that attackers were on guard against anyone trying to break open the windows of the car to escape. One of the occupants of the Fortuner, 60-year-old Bharat Singh, was allegedly burned to death, while the other two in the car suffered severe burns. The Skoda car was also attacked. Police officials said that two occupants of a Skoda car were also seriously injured in a sharp-edged weapon attack. The injured were first admitted to Baikunthpur District Hospital and later rushed to Ambikapur for specialized treatment. Two people also died with this attack Police officials said that Virendra Pratap Singh (32), a passenger in the Skoda, was seriously injured by a sharp-edged weapon and died during treatment at Ambikapur hospital. The other injured in the Fortuner, Nagendra Singh (53), who suffered around 80 percent burns, died while being transported to Raipur for treatment. Two other injured have been sent to Raipur, said police. Four accused have been arrested and efforts are on to arrest others. It’s result of old enmity: Police officials said based on preliminary information, this incident is the result of an old enmity between the Bharat Singh family and the Manoj Tripathi family due to the sand mining business. Officials said both families hail from the Nagoi village located near Katgodi. Bharat Singh’s family currently resides in Baikunthpur, but he runs a sand mining and stone crushing business in Katgodi. Conflict occurred during a meeting Police officials said that later in the evening, after some conversation over the phone, Bharat Singh and his companions allegedly went to meet members of the rival family and a heated confrontation ensued, which soon turned violent. Some witnesses said that while a group poured petrol on the Fortuner and set it on fire, police could not confirm it immediately, as the vehicle also hit an electric pole during the attack. He said that forensic experts are examining as to how the fire started from the car - either by pouring petrol or as a result of collision with an electric pole. So far four people belonging to the Tripathi family have been arrested. Police are working to apprehend the others involved and are investigating the case. Request for CBI investigation Meanwhile, Kshatriya community members and other organizations submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai seeking a CBI inquiry. "It was a planned murder. Our relatives were called there by the pretext of a compromise and then killed," said Rajendra Singh, a member of the Kshatriya community, in a memorandum. "According to reports, 25 to 30 people committed this attack. In my 65 years of life, I have never seen such a horrible incident in Chhattisgarh." He further alleged that Bharat Singh was burned alive after petrol was thrown into the car and, during the fire, another victim, Nagendra Singh, was attacked when he was trying to escape. We will not spare anyone: Vishnu Dev Sai In Raipur, Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai told reporters that an investigation was underway into the matter, some accused were arrested and strict action would be taken against those responsible. The Congress termed the incident heart-wrenching Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee President Deepak Baij described the incident as heart-wrenching and alleged that both the victims and the attackers were associated with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). "In Chhattisgarh, sand mining is rampant under the patronage of the government and under the protection of BJP leaders. Both victims of this unfortunate incident, as well as the perpetrators, were associated with the BJP and the rivalry was over illegal sand mining business," he said.
