Head Constable’s Wife, Daughter Brutally Murdered with Sword in Surajpur : Mob Torches Accused’s House, Several Vehicles; SDM Assaulted
Raipur
In a horrific incident in Surajpur district, Chhattisgarh, the wife and daughter of Head Constable Talib Sheikh were brutally hacked to death with a sword and knife. The assailant, identified as Kuldeep Sahu, allegedly entered the constable’s residence and committed the murders after escaping police custody. Sahu fled after the killings and dumped the bodies near a canal, approximately 5 kilometers away.
Police were already pursuing Sahu in connection with another case when he escaped custody. During the chase, Sahu allegedly fired at officers. The incident occurred under the jurisdiction of the Kotwali Police Station.
Enraged by the killings, a mob set fire to Kuldeep Sahu’s house and several vehicles parked near his warehouse. Although Sahu’s family had evacuated the home, tensions escalated further when the crowd assaulted the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) and blockaded the Surajpur police station. The roadblock has since been lifted, but a heavy police presence remains in place to maintain order.
Sahu, a habitual offender with more than two dozen criminal cases, had a longstanding feud with Talib Sheikh. The dispute intensified after a religious event four days earlier, during which Sahu’s brother, Sandeep, clashed with local youths. Police later arrested Sandeep, allegedly subjecting him to mistreatment in custody, further enraging Kuldeep.
In response to the incident, BJP leader Gaurishankar Srivas criticized Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, alleging that Sahu’s actions prove his allegiance to the Congress. Former Deputy Chief Minister T. S. Singhdeo also expressed concerns over the deteriorating law and order situation in the state, questioning how safe ordinary citizens are when even police families are at risk.
Though the blockade outside the police station has been cleared, tensions remain high, and additional police forces have been deployed to restore calm.
