3 allegedly beaten to death in MP’s Panna over suspicion of occult practice

The deceased were identified as Arjun Singh, 60, his son Govind Singh, 30, and his friend Dhoop Singh, 34, all residents of Kadhna village

Published on: Aug 10, 2024, 18:39:24 IST

By Shruti Tomar

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Bhopal: Three people, including two of a family—the father and his son—were beaten to death after a clash between two groups over suspicion of performing occult practices in Madhya Pradesh’s Panna district, police said on Friday.

Police said the incident took place in Kadhna village of the district on Thursday night.

The deceased were identified as Arjun Singh, 60, his son Govind Singh, 30, and his friend Dhoop Singh, 34, all residents of Kadhna village.

Panna, additional superintendent of police (Addl. SP), Aarti Singh, said that two persons have been arrested in connection with the incident, adding that personnel have been deployed in the village after a clash broke between the two groups belonging to the Gond community.

The arrested accused have been identified as Gyan Singh and Tilak Singh.

“There was an old animosity among villagers as a section of villagers suspected that Arjun Singh and others were involved in occult practices. On Thursday, villagers had an altercation. The accused, Gyan and Tilak Singh, along with others, attacked Arjun, his son, and his friend with sticks. They were beaten to death with head injuries”, said the addl. SP.

She said a first information report has been filed against the two accused and a dozen unidentified people under Section 103(1) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shruti Tomar
I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More