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2 min readRaipurMay 30, 2026 06:05 PM IST
Police said the accused allegedly trailed Ayush Kashyap – son of local Congress leader Samelan Kashyap of Karhi village -- as he returned home on April 24. (Express photo)
A month after the 18-year-old son of a Congress leader was shot dead in Chhattisgarh’s Sakti district over an alleged illegal sand-mining rivalry, police have arrested four men — including the alleged key conspirator.
Police said the accused allegedly trailed Ayush Kashyap – son of local Congress leader Samelan Kashyap of Karhi village — as he returned home on April 24. The assailants allegedly changed clothes to mask their identity, forced their way into the family home and locked Ayush’s parents in a room before shooting him dead. His 16-year-old brother was also shot but survived.
The gang had also broken nearby CCTV cameras before the attack.
Ayush’s father, Sammelan Kashyap, a local Congress leader, had alleged at the time that his son was killed over a business rivalry linked to illegal sand mining in the area. Police now say the investigation has confirmed that angle.
Janjgir-Champa Superintendent of Police Vijay Kumar Pandey said: “I realised the murder had a sand-mining angle, as there have been murders linked to sand mining in the past. I was also aware of a gang active on social media that did assaults for money and began tracking them. Another clue was the 20-minute lag between the breaking of cameras and the murder, which made us suspect something was amiss.”
Police said another clue was that one of the accused, 23-year-old Bhushan Baghel, owed money to Ayush’s father. Bhushan was traced to Ahmedabad in Gujarat, while two others — Hemant Baghel, 23, and alleged shooter Amit Tondon, 28 — were arrested from the village.
The fourth accused, Ganpat Baghel, was arrested Wednesday. Police said Ganpat had a business rivalry with Ayush and was unhappy with his entry into the sand-mining business.
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The Indian Express had previously reported that while tenders have been awarded for sand mining, paperwork is still pending, which makes all sand quarrying activities in the area illegal.
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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