A long-running dispute over sand mining in Chhattisgarh’s Koriya district allegedly culminated in a gruesome triple killing after a sport utility vehicle was set ablaze late Tuesday night, leaving BJP leader and former Janpad Panchayat President Bharat Singh, popularly known as Lalla Singh, among the dead.
The incident occurred in Naugain village under Sonhat police station limits. According to the victim’s family, Bharat Singh had gone to negotiate a settlement over a dispute linked to sand quarry operations but was allegedly lured into a planned attack. Investigators suspect the Fortuner carrying Singh and his associates was blocked by trucks from both ends before being doused with petrol and set on fire.
Besides Bharat Singh, Virendra Singh later died from burn injuries, while Nagendra Singh, a schoolteacher and Singh’s cousin, also lost his life. Another victim, Mayank Singh, remains critically injured at a hospital in Bilaspur with severe head and facial injuries.
Police have arrested four accused, Akshat Tripathi, Vishal Tripathi, Satyaprakash Tripathi and Mannu Tripathi, and launched a search for other suspects. Cases have been registered against nine named individuals on charges including murder and attempted murder.
Preliminary findings indicate the violence stemmed from a prolonged rivalry between factions allegedly competing for control over sand transportation and mining-related operations in the region. Officials said previous complaints had also been lodged over the dispute.
The victims’ family has sought a CBI investigation, alleging the attack was meticulously planned. Police, however, maintain that the precise cause of the fire remains under investigation. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said arrests have been made and assured that those found guilty would face strict action.
