Gunmen kill Congress leader’s son, injure another at his home in Chhattisgarh

Janjgir (Chhattisgarh): A son of a local Congress leader was killed and another injured after three men barged into their house and opened fire in Chhattisgarh’s Janjgir-Champa district on Friday, police said.

The incident took place around 12:30 am in Karhi village under the jurisdiction of Birra police station, officials said.

According to preliminary information, three masked attackers arrived on a motorcycle and entered the residence of Sammelal Kashyap, said Janjgir-Champa Additional Superintendent of Police Umesh Kashyap.

Kashyap, a cement-sand trader, is a former vice president of the Congress block unit. The assailants opened fire on Kashyap’s two sons, the official said.

The Congress leader’s son Aayush Kashyap (19), who sustained two gunshot wounds to the chest, died on the spot, while his younger brother Ashutosh (16) suffered a bullet injury to his hand, he said.

The injured teenager was rushed to a hospital, where his condition is reported to be stable, he said.

A massive manhunt has been launched, with barricades and checkpoints set up across the area. Nearby districts and local police stations have been alerted, the official said.

Forensic and cyber teams have been roped in, and CCTV footage from nearby areas is being examined. The motive behind the attack remains unclear, and investigators are probing all possible angles, he said.

Recounting the shooting, Ashutosh said he had gone to sleep after dinner around 10 pm, while his elder brother returned home around midnight from Janjgir.

“At 12.34 am, my mother, on hearing some noise, called me over the phone. As I woke up, I saw three armed men in the room who opened fire at me. I was shot in the hand. They then fired at my brother,” he said.

“When my sister tried to help my brother, they pointed a gun at us and demanded money and mobile phones. I handed over whatever cash I had, Rs 50-60, and my sister’s phone,” he said.

The attackers allegedly locked the rooms from outside before fleeing. “I later called our cousins, who came and opened the door,” said Ashutosh.

He expressed doubts about robbery being the motive, stressing that the attackers took only a small amount of cash.