Chhattisgarh woman refused his offer to resume relationship. He killed her, burnt her body

The Chhattisgarh police said the woman had suffered multiple stab and blunt force injuries before being set on fire

Published on: Oct 27, 2025, 21:49:58 IST

By Ritesh Mishra

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RAIPUR: A 25-year-old labourer has been arrested in Chhattisgarh’s Baloda Bazar district for allegedly killing a woman he had been in a relationship with and burning her body to destroy evidence, a police statement said on Monday

Police identified the deceased as 26-year-old Tejaswini Patel, a resident of Charoti village, whose charred body was found on October 25.

A case was registered under sections 103(1) and 238 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at City Kotwali police station, and the investigation was launched.

Police said the woman had suffered multiple stab and blunt force injuries before being set on fire.

During the probe, police recorded statements of villagers and the victim’s family to piece together a sequence of events.

Based on witness accounts and local inputs, investigators detained Salik Ram Paikara, a resident of the same village.

Citing Paikara’s statement, police said he and Tejaswini, who also worked as a labourer, had been in a relationship for the past four-five months but had recently split. But Paikara continued to pressure her to meet him and resume their relationship. When she refused, he decided to kill her.

Paikara convinced the woman to slip out of her house on the intervening night of October 24–25, around 1.30–2.00 am. When she declined his offer to resume their relationship, he attacked her with a knife and a wooden stick, killing her on the spot. He dragged her body to a spot near the fodder heap and set it on fire. Police said he returned home after killing the woman and went home to sleep. He woke up the next morning and went to another village, as if nothing unusual had happened, police said.

Investigators also found that he had created 19 fake Instagram accounts in the name of different women and used them to communicate with strangers.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

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