Chhattisgarh: Raigarh Police Nabs Accused in Murder Case of Deputy Ranger within 24 Hours

Police on May 17 arrested the accused after tracking CCTV footage and sent the killer on judicial remand. As per police sources, the murderer had preplanned the death to take revenge on Assistant Forest Range Officer, Sanjay Tiwari.

Raigarh: In a big revelation, police on May 17 disclosed that Deputy Ranger Sanjay Tiwari did not die in an accident on May 16 near the Dharamjaigarh Main Road but was murdered. Police arrested the accused, lodged a case under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (Whoever commits murder shall be punished with death, or imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable to fine) and sent him on judicial remand.

Police sources said that the killer, Bansat Kumar Yadav, had preplanned the murder to avenge an old dispute with Tiwari. On May 16, Yadav hit Tiwari while the latter was on a bike, with a Bolero from behind, and then rammed his four-wheeler into Tiwari.

Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDOP), Dharamjaigarh, Siddharth Tiwari, addressing the media, said, "On the afternoon of May 16, police received information about an accident near the Dharamjaigarh Main Road in Upaj. Dharamjaigarh police rushed to the spot and admitted the injured person to the Civil Hospital but the doctors declared him 'brought dead'.

An FIR was registered against the unknown accused at the Dharamjaigarh police station, the SDOP said. "The case was registered under Section 304 A of the IPC (Causing death by negligence) and taken up for investigation. Police identified the deceased as Assistant Forest Range Officer Sanjay Tiwari, son of Gokul Prasad, 53, a resident of the Kashtagar Forest Colony," he added.

Upon scanning the CCTV footage, a Bolero was spotted near the incident site, the SDOP said. "The number plate of the Bolero read CG 13 UE 0377. We immediately went with a fine-tooth comb to trace the driver, raided the Behrapara villager and detained Yadav," he said.

On interrogating Yadav, he revealed that he had an old enmity with Tiwari and wanted to take revenge on him. "Yadav confessed to killing Tiwari by crushing him with a Bolero on Thursday," the SDOP said.

Yadav was looking for an opportunity to plot the murder of Tiwari, the SDOP said. "On the afternoon of May 16, Yadav was on his way to Nagdarha. He found Tiwari coming from Dharamjaygarh on a motorcycle. He decided to chase Tiwari and did so. In a few minutes, he took a turn and hit Tiwari's bike with his Bolero near the agricultural produce market," the SDOP added.

Tiwari fell on the road but had not suffered much. A blood-thirsty Yadav backed the car and rammed his vehicle into Tiwari from behind and then fled from the spot, the SDOP added. After recording the confession of the accused, police removed the section 304A IPC from the FIR and registered the case under Section 302 IPC of the IPC.

Police have also found out that the accused Yadav's wife was engaged in an illicit relationship with the wife of the deceased Tiwari. This had led to several disputes between the two parties in the past. The matter had even reached the police station where officials had suggested that both parties settle the matter at the family court.

Outpost in-charge Rairumakhurd, sub-inspector Manish Kant, assistant sub-inspector David Toppo, Amrit Minj, constables Santlal Patel and Vijay Rathiya played a crucial role in solving the case within 24 hours.