Three burnt, two injured in sand mining dispute in Chhattisgarh

Three persons, including a 60-year-old former Janpad panchayat vice-president, were burnt to death while two others were injured after they were attacked by a large group of persons over an alleged sand mining dispute in the Korean district of Chhattisgarh on Tuesday (June 16, 2026) night, police said.

So far, four people have been arrested in connection with the murders, while the injured remain in critical condition, police said.

The late former janpad panchayat vice-president Bharat Singh and his long-time business rivals, the Tripathi family, whose members are among the accused, were both linked to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a senior police officer said.

Following the incident, the opposition Congress accused the BJP government in the state of providing patronage to illegal sand mining.

The victims were traveling in two vehicles, including a sport utility vehicle (SUV) and a sedan, when they were allegedly attacked by members of a rival group near the Tripathi family’s residence, according to police. Rajendra Singh, a cousin of Bharat Singh, claimed that a fight had broken out between members of the two families earlier in the day and Bharat Singh and others were called by the Tripathis on the pretext of reaching a compromise. “It was a pre-planned murder,” Mr. Rajendra Singh told The Hindu.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the assailants rammed the SUV repeatedly with a light dump truck, damaging the vehicle and blocking its doors, preventing the occupants from escaping. The SUV subsequently caught fire, the police officer said. Eyewitnesses claimed that some occupants of the SUV, who tried to break the windows of the vehicle and escape, were attacked by the assailants.

While Bharat Singh was burnt on the spot, two other passengers in the SUV – Nagendra Singh and Virendra Singh – suffered severe burns and later succumbed to their injuries during treatment, said Additional Superintendent of Police (Korea) Suresha Chaubey. Two others, Mayank Singh Thakur and Gyanendra Thakur, were taken to Raipur for better treatment, Ms. Chaubey added.

Mr Rajendra Singh further alleged that the assailants doused the SUV with petrol and set it on fire. But Ms Chaubey said a forensic examination would determine whether that was the case or whether the fire was caused by a short circuit.

“Four accused from the Tripathi family have been arrested so far. A case has been registered. We are trying to arrest the remaining accused,” another police officer said. The two families have been locked in a dispute for a long time, and recently the reason for the rivalry was also the sand mining license.

Chhattisgarh Congress president Deepak Baij alleged that rivalry between BJP leaders over illegal mining led to the incident.

“Sand mafias are operating under government patronage in Chhattisgarh. Illegal sand mining is being done under the protection of BJP leaders. The deceased (Bharat Singh) was a BJP leader and those accused in the attack are also associated with BJP,” Mr Baij said. The gang war was going on over illegal sand mining operations in the state, he said.

Mr. Rajendra Singh said that Bharat Singh was the janpad vice president in late 2000 but later, due to reservations, he could not contest the polls but remained an influential figure in the area.

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said an investigation was underway and those responsible would not be spared.

Published – 17 Jun 2026 22:31 IST