Chhattisgarh: Man killed, 2 injured in illegal mining row; SDM among 4 arrested

Four arrested, including an SDM, after a 62-year-old man died in an alleged assault over suspected illegal bauxite mining in Balrampur

Raipur: Four people, including a sub-divisional magistrate, were arrested in connection with the death of a 62-year-old man who was allegedly assaulted, along with two others, over suspicion of illegal bauxite mining in Balrampur district, police said on Monday.

The deceased was identified as Ram alias Ramnaresh, a resident of Hanspur. (Representative photo)

Balarampur police were informed on Saturday that three residents of Hanspur village were assaulted in a forest area near the village and taken to a hospital for treatment, where one of them later died, a statement issued by police said.

The deceased was identified as Ram alias Ramnaresh, a resident of Hanspur, while Ajit Ram (60) and Akash Agariya (20), who were injured, are receiving treatment.

The police statement further said that sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Karun Dahariya, Vicky Singh alias Ajay Pratap Singh, Manjeet Kumar Yadav and Sudeep Yadav, all residents of Balrampur-Ramanujganj district, allegedly reached the forest area near Hanspur on Saturday evening to act against suspected illegal bauxite excavation.

During the confrontation, the three villagers were allegedly accused of illegal mining and assaulted with wooden sticks, kicks and punches, the statement added.

“Ram was brought in an unconscious condition to the Community Health Centre (CHC) in Kusmi around 10:50 pm by an SDM driver, identified as Satyaprakash, and an armed guard, Bhishm Yadav,” a written intimation by the medical officer said.

On the basis of statements from the injured, eyewitnesses and other evidence, along with a spot inspection and postmortem, the Korandha police registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

Police said the four accused were arrested and produced before the competent court, and further investigation into the case is underway.