Raipur: Raigarh police arrested a 65-year-old man on 6 August for the rape and murder of a 35-year-old woman and the murder of her 10-month-old daughter in Chaparpani village under Lailunga police station limits.
The accused, Bhikhariram Nagwanshi, a resident of Kodasiya village, was remanded in judicial custody after police traced him using forensic evidence and psychological interrogation techniques.
According to police officials, the victim’s cousin filed a report at Lailunga police station on 16 July, stating that the woman, who was living in a tube-well house on a farm owned by Prahlad Behera, was found critically injured, while her 10-month-old daughter was dead at the scene. The woman later succumbed to her head injuries during medical treatment.
Raigarh Senior Superintendent of Police Shashi Mohan Singh directed Lailunga police station in-charge Sub-Inspector Girdhari Sao to establish a camp in Chaparpani village to gather evidence. Investigators identified Nagwanshi following local intelligence inputs and physical injury marks on his hand.
During interrogation, Nagwanshi confessed that he entered the house on the night of 15 July and attempted to assault the woman. When she resisted, he struck her repeatedly on the head with a brick, causing severe injuries before assaulting her. He then strangled and hit the 10-month-old infant with a brick to stop her from crying.
Police recovered the blood-stained clothes worn by the accused during the incident based on his statement. Authorities charged Nagwanshi under Sections 103(1), 64, and 66 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
SSP Shashi Mohan Singh stated that forensic examination, continuous monitoring, and structured investigation enabled the police to solve the case within 21 days.
