Madhya Pradesh High Court Orders Re-postmortem in Kabirdham’s Suspicious Death Case, Directs Chhattisgarh Government to Cooperate

Raipur
In the case of a suspicious death in Loharidih, Kabirdham district, Chhattisgarh, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has issued a significant ruling. The court has granted permission for a re-postmortem of Shivprasad Sahu, based on a petition filed by his daughter, and has instructed the Chhattisgarh government to cooperate. This hearing took place before the Chief Justice’s double bench.
Initially, the Chhattisgarh High Court allowed the petitioner to file the case under the jurisdiction of Madhya Pradesh. The petitioner then submitted a plea in the Jabalpur High Court of Madhya Pradesh, requesting a re-postmortem. The division bench, expressing dissatisfaction, ordered the exhumation of the body for a second postmortem. Prior to this, the single bench had dismissed the case, but the petitioner appealed to the division bench against that decision.

Within a week, three people died under different circumstances in Loharidih, Kabirdham district, Chhattisgarh. On the night of September 14, Shivprasad Sahu’s body was found hanging from a tree in the Birsa police station area of Madhya Pradesh. Following the discovery, villagers, suspecting murder, set fire to the house of former village head Raghunath Sahu, resulting in Raghunath’s death due to burns. The police subsequently arrested 69 villagers, including 33 women, on suspicion of murder.
On September 19, Prashant Sahu, who had been jailed in connection with the murder, died in custody. His body had severe injuries, leading villagers to allege that he died due to police beating in jail. In response, the government took major action, suspending IPS officer Vikas Kumar, who was serving as Additional Superintendent of Police in Kabirdham district. Additionally, the inspector and assistant sub-inspector of the Rengakhar police station, along with 23 other police personnel stationed there, were removed. The district’s SP and collector were also transferred.
An SIT (Special Investigation Team) has been formed to investigate the Loharidih incident, led by ASP Pankaj Patel and comprising seven members. This team is conducting the investigation, and both Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh police are involved due to the location of Shivprasad Sahu’s body near the Madhya Pradesh border, leading to the High Court of Madhya Pradesh overseeing the case.