Raipur – The Abhanpur police, in a joint operation with the Anti-Crime and Cyber Unit (ACCU), have solved the murder of a 29-year-old man whose body was found buried in a murrum quarry near Bharengabhatha village. Investigations revealed the victim was murdered over a love affair and buried while he was likely still alive.
The police have arrested three adults—Shyam Sundar Soni (21), Sumit Kosle (21), and Savitri Sahu (21)—and detained two minors in connection with the crime. One suspect, Michael Saini, remains at large.
Discovery of the body
On 21 March 2026, police received information regarding a body buried in a quarry along the road from Bharengabhatha to Navagaon. A hand and a foot were visible above the ground. Under the supervision of an Executive Magistrate, the body was exhumed.
The post-mortem report indicated that the victim suffered severe trauma to the neck and trachea. Medical examiners noted the presence of soil inside the respiratory tract, suggesting the victim was buried while semi-conscious and died due to asphyxiation.
Identification and investigation
Following directives from Raipur Range IG Amresh Mishra and SP (Rural) Shweta Srivastava Sinha, a team led by ASP (Rural) Abhishek Jha and Abhanpur SHO Satyendra Singh Shyam initiated a probe. The deceased was identified as Nitesh Batra, a resident of Mana, who had been reported missing at the Mana police station. His family identified him through his clothes and tattoos.
Technical analysis and CCTV footage led the police to Shyam Sundar Soni, a trader of vegetables and watermelons in Boriakala. Soni and his employees had gone missing shortly after the incident, raising suspicion.
The motive
Interrogations revealed that Soni was in a relationship with Savitri Sahu. On the night of 16 March, Soni encountered Nitesh Batra outside Sahu’s residence in Mana. Sahu had allegedly complained to Soni that Batra frequently harassed her.
An altercation ensued, during which Soni struck Batra with a babool wood stick. Soni then summoned his employees in an auto-rickshaw. The group assaulted Batra until he lost consciousness. To conceal the crime, the accused disposed of Batra’s scooter under a bridge near Mujgahan and transported him to a secluded quarry between Parisulidih and Bharengabhatha, where they buried him.
Police action
The police have seized the auto-rickshaw and the wooden stick used in the crime. A case has been registered under sections 103(1), 238, 64(2)(A), and 191(1)(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The arrested individuals have been sent to judicial custody, while the minors have been produced before the Juvenile Justice Board. Efforts are underway to apprehend the absconding suspect.
