2 min readRaipurMay 21, 2026 04:27 AM IST
Months after a Chhattisgarh sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) and three others were arrested for beating a 62-year-old tribal man to death, a chargesheet alleges the killing took place during an attempt to extort a “commission” linked to illegal bauxite transport in the area.
The accused, SDM Karun Dahariya, a State Administrative Service Officer, and his three associates were arrested for the murder of Karan Ram alias Ramnaresh and injuring two men on February 15 this year in a jungle area next to Hanspur village on the Chhattisgarh-Jharkhand border. The victims were allegedly assaulted after they stopped a truck carrying illegal bauxite, leading to the killing.
Balrampur SP Vaibhav Banker said Dahariya had seized the truck from Jharkhand and brought it to Chhattisgarh without permission. The truck owner allegedly suspected robbery and contacted the three victims, who tried to stop the truck in Hanspur, prompting Dahariya to reach the spot. He had previously demanded a “commission” from the truck owner.
In his defence, Dahariya allegedly told police that he had reached the spot upon receiving reports of illegal mining, although police allege the claim has not been substantiated. While Ramnaresh was killed, two other men, Ajit Ram Urao, 60, and Akash Kumar Aghariya, 20, sustained injuries.
Aghariya had said that all three victims were returning home from their fields at around 8 pm, and were about 500 metres from their village when they were attacked by the officer and his men.
