Raipur man’s body found in Mahasamund pond last year; five held for murder

Police identified the deceased as Akash Singh from Geetanjali Nagar in Chhattisgarh, after his family lodged a missing complaint on January 5, 2025

Published on: Sep 26, 2025, 16:24:10 IST

By Ritesh Mishra

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Raipur: Five people were arrested on Friday for allegedly killing a 24-year-old Raipur resident and dumping his body in a pond near Ghodari village in Chhattisgarh’s Mahasamund district last year, police said.

The accused allegedly transported the body on a scooter to Mahasamund and dumped it in a pond near Ghodari. (Representative photo)

“All five accused — Lovely Singh, Abhinav Singh, Abhilakh Singh, Gaurav Singh, and Veeru Singh — have been arrested and sent to jail,” a police officer said.

The deceased’s body was found floating in the pond on September 29, 2024, but could not be identified as no missing report had been filed by then, a statement issued by the police said.

The police identified the deceased as Akash Singh from Raipur’s Geetanjali Nagar, after his family lodged a missing complaint on January 5, 2025, at the Khammardih police station in Raipur. Police began investigating after the case matched a missing person’s profile during a fresh round of crime data analysis.

According to the statement, the investigation revealed that Akash was in a relationship with a woman, Lovely Singh, who had been living with Abhinav for several years.

“Akash and Abhinav reportedly became friends in 2023, and Akash grew close to Lovely. Akash eloped with her and married her in August 2024, which enraged Abhinav and Lovely’s family, who were reportedly financially supported by Abhinav,” the statement added.

Lovely’s father, Abhilakh, allegedly invited the couple to Abhinav’s house on September 25, where an argument broke out. Abhinav, Abhilakh, and Lovely’s brothers, Gaurav and Veeru, allegedly assaulted and killed Akash.

“The accused allegedly transported the body on a scooter to Mahasamund and dumped it in a pond near Ghodari. The body surfaced two days later but remained unidentified and was later buried,” the statement added.

Police officers privy to the development said that Lovely allegedly helped conceal the crime and later returned to live with Abhinav. “To mislead Akash’s relatives, she kept posting old photos of herself with him on social media. Meanwhile, her father Abhilakh also lodged a false missing complaint to create confusion,” an officer said.

Police traced Lovely to Raipur’s Pirda area and took her into custody. During questioning, she disclosed everything.

Police exhumed Akash’s body on Wednesday and handed it over to his family for cremation.

A case has been registered under Section 103A (murder) and Sections 238 and 61(2) (destruction of evidence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the officer said.

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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