Three persons, including a BJP leader, Bharat Singh, died after being trapped in a burning car that police suspect was deliberately set ablaze over a long-standing sand mining rivalry in Chhattisgarh’s Korea district on Tuesday evening. Two other relatives of the deceased also succumbed to injuries in the alleged attack. Four accused have been arrested in connection with the incident, while efforts are underway to apprehend other suspects, police said.

Sand Mining Feud Turns Fatal: BJP Leader Among Three Charred to Death in Chhattisgarh

A long-standing sand mining business rivalry between two families turned fatal for the three men who were brutally attacked by a group of people, leading to the arrest of four persons, while others are on the run, officials said on Wednesday. Two persons were seriously injured in the incident, which occurred in Katgodi village under Sonhat tehsil on Tuesday night, involving a truck, an SUV, and a sedan.

The victims were travelling in two vehicles, including an SUV and a sedan, when they were allegedly attacked by members of a rival group, a police official said. As per the preliminary investigation, the attackers repeatedly rammed the SUV with a light tipper truck, damaging the vehicle and jamming its doors, preventing the occupants from escaping. The SUV subsequently caught fire, he said.

Eyewitnesses claimed that some occupants who attempted to break the vehicle’s windows and flee were assaulted by the attackers. One of the occupants, Bharat Singh (aged around 60), was charred to death at the spot, while two others travelling in the SUV suffered severe burn injuries, the official said.

The attackers also targeted the second vehicle and assaulted its two occupants, leaving them critically injured, he said. Police rushed to the spot after receiving information and brought the situation under control.