'Jhund' film actor Priyanshu aka Babu Chhetri murdered by friend after brawl; accused held

Nagpur: Actor Priyanshu alias Babu Ravi Singh Chhetri, who became famous for his onscreen character 'Babu Chhetri' in Hindi film "Jhund, was allegedly murdered by his friend following a drunken brawl in Nagpur, in the wee hours on Wednesday, police said.

The accused, identified as Dhruv Lal Bahadur Sahu (20), has been arrested.

The 21-year-old actor had won acclaim for his role in the biographical sports film, released in 2022, starring Amitabh Bachchan and directed by Nagraj Manjule.

A police official stated that Sahu and Chhetri were close friends who would often consume liquor together.

"After midnight on Tuesday, Sahu and Chhetri travelled by Sahu's motorcycle to an abandoned house in the Jaripatka area for a drinking session. This occurred a few hours before Chhetri was found injured early Wednesday morning," the official said, citing preliminary investigation. Under the influence of alcohol, Chhetri allegedly threatened Sahu during an argument, before falling asleep.

"Fearing harm, Sahu allegedly tied Chhetri with wires and attacked him with a sharp weapon", the official added.

He stated that at around 3 am on Wednesday, locals spotted Chhetri lying half-naked in serious condition, bound with plastic wires, and alerted the police.

Police rushed him to Mayo Hospital, where doctors declared him dead during treatment.

The victim was a resident of the Lumbini Nagar area in Nagpur city.

"We have registered a case of murder and arrested Sahu," the official said, adding that Chhetri and Sahu had criminal backgrounds with cases of theft and assault pending against them.

Further investigations are ongoing.

Jhund, based on the life of Vijay Barse, the founder of NGO Slum Soccer, is about a sports teacher who, on the edge of retirement, forms a football team with children from a slum area and how it changes their lives.