Serious allegations against a revenue administration team in Chhattisgarh's Kusmi village have triggered outrage and tension across the region. A 62-year-old tribal villager has died, and two others have been seriously injured following an alleged late-night assault involving officials, including the Kusmi Sub-Divisional Magistrate.
Police have registered a murder case against four accused, including SDM Karun Kumar Dahariya. The incident has led to protests, road blockades, and sharp political reactions.
According to reports, the revenue team arrived in Hanspur village late Sunday night to investigate alleged illegal bauxite mining in the area. The village had already been tense after locals reportedly stopped a truck carrying bauxite.
Eyewitnesses say that around 9 pm, three villagers - 62-year-old Ramnaresh Ram, 60-year-old Ajit Oraon, and 20-year-old Akash Agariya - were returning home after irrigating their wheat fields when they were stopped near Sarna.
The injured allege they were beaten without proper questioning.
Akash Agariya, one of the injured, said that eight to nine people stopped them and began hitting them with sticks. He claimed they were travelling in a white Bolero marked with "Chhattisgarh Government SDM" and a black Mahindra Thar.
Ajit Oraon stated that they were attacked by seven to eight people and that he fell unconscious during the assault. Ramnaresh Ram's condition worsened on the way to Kusmi, and he was later declared dead at the hospital.
Police sources confirm that Ramnaresh Ram died during treatment at Kusmi Community Health Centre, while the two others are recovering.
Based on eyewitness accounts, scene inspection, the panchnama, and postmortem findings, a murder case has been registered.
SDM Karun Dahariya, Vicky Singh alias Ajay Pratap Singh, Manjeet Kumar Yadav, and Sudip Yadav have been arrested and produced in court.
Balrampur SP Vaibhav Banker confirmed that the accused have been arrested and legal proceedings are underway.
The incident has led to widespread anger among tribal communities in Kusmi. Villagers staged a road blockade at Shiv Chowk, shouting slogans against the SDM and demanding strict action.
Protesters have demanded Rs 1 crore compensation for the family of the man who has died and a government job for one family member. Some demonstrators also demanded bulldozer action against the accused, drawing comparisons with similar actions taken in other states.
Former Congress MLA Maheshwar stated that the SDM allegedly beat a villager "without any fault", leading to his death, and demanded strict action and adequate compensation. Local resident Somnath Bhagat alleged that the SDM had a history of aggressive behaviour and had harassed villagers in the past. These claims are yet to be independently verified.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai addressed the matter during a programme in Chirmiri, stating, "An investigation is underway. Whoever is found guilty, no matter who they are, will face strict action."
