Chhattisgarh govt to recommend CBI probe into murder of Bhuneshwar Sahu in Biranpur communal clash

Raipur: The Chhattisgarh government will recommend a CBI probe into the murder of a 22-year-old man, Bhuneshwar Sahu, in communal violence in the state's Bemetara district last year, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma announced on Wednesday.

During campaigning ahead of last year’s Assembly elections, the BJP had extensively highlighted the youth’s killing in Biranpur village. It also fielded Bhuneshwar’s father Ishwar Sahu from the Saja constituency and rallied around him to ensure his victory.

The deputy CM made the announcement about the probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) after Ishwar Sahu raised the incident in the House through a calling attention motion.

Ishwar Sahu said his son was killed on April 8 last year and only 12 persons were arrested in the case even though the names of 36 individuals accused in the incident were then submitted to the authorities.

In his reply, Deputy CM Sharma briefly talked about the communal violence and said it was an amazing coincidence that Bhuneshwar’s father had reached the House while fighting for justice for his son’s murder.

So far, 12 accused have been arrested. A 13-member special investigation team (SIT) has been constituted and the probe into the matter is underway, he said, stressing that further action will be taken.

Ishwar Sahu then asked whether a CBI probe would be ordered into the incident.

Sharma, who also holds the Home portfolio, said the matter is being investigated by forming an SIT but “today I announce in the House that a CBI investigation will be conducted into the incident”.

Senior BJP MLA Ajay Chandrakar said two persons from a particular community were also found murdered (on April 11 last year) in the area.

Chandrakar asked whether the CBI probe will also cover this incident so that it can be ascertained whether the murder of the duo was in reaction to the earlier incident or if there was any conspiracy behind it.

Sharma said that 17 persons were arrested in connection with the murder of the two persons and the chargesheet has already been filed in the court. So the CBI probe will only cover the murder of Bhuneshwar Sahu, he said.

Bhuneshwar Sahu was killed in violence that erupted in Biranpur on April 8, 2023, after an altercation between school children from two communities. On April 11, Biranpur residents Rahim Mohammad (55) and his son Idul Mohammad (35) were found murdered a few kilometers away from the village with multiple injuries on their bodies.

The clash had prompted the district administration to bar the assembly of four or more people, under section 144 of the CrPC, for nearly 20 days in the village.

Notably, in electioneering last year, the BJP extensively highlighted the Biranpur incident. It also fielded Ishwar Sahu from the Saja seat. Ishwar Sahu Sahu defeated minister and influential Congress leader Ravindra Choubey.