Sand-Mining Dispute Turns Deadly in Chhattisgarh; BJP Leader Among 3 Killed

A dispute over sand mining in Chhattisgarh's Koriya district turned violent late Tuesday night, resulting in three deaths. The incident occurred in Naugain village under Sonhat police station limits, where a sport utility vehicle carrying BJP leader and former Janpad Panchayat President Bharat Singh, popularly known as Lalla Singh, was allegedly blocked and set ablaze. Two others, Virendra Singh and Nagendra Singh, a schoolteacher, also died from their injuries.

Police suspect the vehicle was blocked by trucks from both ends before being doused with petrol and ignited. According to the victims' family, Bharat Singh had gone to negotiate a settlement but was allegedly lured into a planned attack. Another victim, Mayank Singh, remains critically injured at a hospital in Bilaspur.

Four accused—Akshat Tripathi, Vishal Tripathi, Satyaprakash Tripathi and Mannu Tripathi—have been arrested. Police registered cases against nine named individuals on charges including murder and attempted murder. Officials attributed the violence to a prolonged rivalry between factions competing for control over sand transportation and mining operations.