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Police said the killing stemmed from political and business rivalry.
Three men have been arrested and a minor boy booked Tuesday night for allegedly murdering a BJP leader in Chhattisgarh’s Korba district, with police attributing the crime to business and political rivalry.
According to police, Mirza Mustaq Ahmed (27), Vishwajeet Ogre (21) and Gulshan Das (26) attacked Akshay Garg, a BJP leader who also worked as a road contractor, while he was supervising road construction at Keshalpur village in Korba.
“Garg was discussing work with other labourers near the mesh of his camp, when three accused came in a four-wheeler and attacked Garg with sharp iron rods and a knife, injuring him and fled. Garg succumbed to serious injuries on the back of his head, hands and stomach,” Korba Police said in a statement.
Ahmed, identified as the prime suspect, allegedly planned the attack, collected the weapons and delivered the first blow to Garg’s stomach. Ogre was also allegedly involved in the assault, while Das is suspected to have tipped off the others about Garg’s arrival at the site.
The minor, who was allegedly lured into the plot with promises of a car, was allegedly part of the attack.
Police said the killing stemmed from political and business rivalry, alleging that Ahmed wanted a contract in the area but could not secure it due to Garg’s influence. Investigators also cited political rivalry following Ahmed’s defeat by Garg in a panchayat election earlier this year.
But the immediate trigger, according to the police, was because Gard and not Ahmed, was invited as chief guest of an annual cricket tournament earlier this month.
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“Every year, Ahmed was the chief guest but this year Garg was made the chief guest and people started telling Ahmed that his influence was waning,” a police source said.
BJP’s Korba district in-charge Gopal Modi condemned the killing as “shocking”.
“Such incidents never occur in Chhattisgarh,” he said.
Police said they have seized an axe, a car and mobile phones used in the attack. This was not the first attempt on Garg’s life: according to police, the suspects had been tailing him the previous day but did not find an opportunity to strike.
“All the accused in the case have been arrested and are being remanded to judicial custody,” Korba Superintendent of Police Siddharth Tewari said.
Jayprakash S Naidu is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently serving as the state correspondent for Chhattisgarh. With an extensive career in frontline journalism, he reports on the political, security, and humanitarian landscape of Central India. Expertise and Experience Specialized Conflict Reporting: Jayprakash is a leading voice on the Maoist/Naxalite conflict in the Bastar region. His reporting provides a critical, ground-level view of: Internal Security: Tracking high-stakes encounters, surrender programs for senior Maoist leaders, and the establishment of security camps in formerly inaccessible "heartland" villages. Tribal Rights & Displacement: Investigative reporting on the identity and land struggles of thousands of displaced tribals fleeing conflict zones for neighboring states. Governance & Bureaucratic Analysis: He consistently monitors the evolution of Chhattisgarh as it marks 25 years of statehood, covering: Electoral Politics: Analyzing the shift in power between the BJP and Congress and the impact of regional tribal movements. Public Policy: Reporting on landmark infrastructure projects (e.g., mobile connectivity in remote zones) and judicial interventions, such as High Court rulings on civil and family law. Diverse Investigative Background: Prior to his current focus on Chhattisgarh, Jayprakash held reported from Maharashtra, where he specialized in: Crisis & Disaster Management: Notable for his extensive coverage of the Cyclone Tauktae barge tragedy (P-305) and the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on frontline personnel. Legal & Human Rights: Investigative pieces for platforms like Article-14, focusing on police accountability and custodial deaths across India. Environmental & Social Justice: Authoritative reporting on the Hasdeo Aranya forest protests and the approval of major tiger reserves, highlighting the tension between industrial mining and environmental preservation. ... Read More
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