Chhattisgarh: Violence erupts in Kanker village over burial; several including cops injured
Kanker (PTI): Several people including more than 20 police personnel were injured in violence at Badetevda village in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district on Thursday following a dispute between two communities over the burial of a deceased man.
A mob vandalised a prayer hall and set fire to articles inside. An Additional Superintendent of Police was among the injured, but the situation was now under control, officials said.
Tensions had been brewing since December 16 after Rajman Salam, sarpanch of Badetevda village under Amabeda police station area, buried his father Chamra Ram Salam's body on his private land.
ALSO READ: Four arrested in cattle theft case after encounter in UP's Kaushambi
While Salam follows Christianity, some villagers objected to his father's burial being performed as per Christian rites, said a senior police official.
Some villagers raised suspicion over the manner of the death, demanding exhumation of the body. They also alleged that the burial was not conducted in accordance with local customs, the official said.
Acting on the complaint, an executive magistrate ordered exhumation which was carried out on Thursday afternoon in the presence of police and district officials. An inquest and post-mortem examination will be conducted and further legal action will follow, the official said.
"The issue created a tense situation in the village. Groups confronted each other and incidents of stone-pelting occurred. Police took steps to control the situation. There was also damage to property," the official said.
More than 20 police personnel, including an ASP, sustained injuries and were sent to hospital, he said.
In a video statement released on December 17, Rajman Salam had said that his father died due to an illness at a hospital in Kanker on the evening of December 15.
His body was brought to the village the next morning, following which he informed gram panchayat members and village elders that although he had embraced Christianity, his father did not attend church, he said.
Hence, he wanted his father to be buried as per village customs, and he himself wanted to participate in the last rites, said Rajman.
But a rival who had lost to him in the sarpanch election opposed his participation, he claimed.
"As I was not allowed to participate, I called my Vishwasi (Christian) friends and performed the burial as per our (Christian) rituals," Rajman said.
Those who had lost the panchayat polls mobilised outsiders and instigated protests demanding exhumation of the body, he alleged. Police had asked for his consent for exhumation to avoid escalation of the dispute, but he had refused, he said.
According to police, there were minor clashes on Wednesday following which security was tightened and barricades were erected to prevent outsiders from entering Badetevda. However, on Thursday, some people who were carrying sticks entered the village, triggering fresh violence, said an official.
After the body was exhumed, a mob went on a rampage and vandalised a prayer hall. Police resorted to a lathi-charge to disperse the crowd.
Police have restricted the entry of outsiders for now and deployed additional force in the area.
#WATCH | North Bastar Kanker, Chhattisgarh | Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Kanker, Dinesh Sinha says, "Under the Ambedkar Police Station area, a dispute occurred between two sections of society over the burial of a body. Police were deployed in large numbers, and they… pic.twitter.com/gA5Ca8rPfi
— ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2025
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
RCB beat MI by 18 runs after batters fire
Mumbai (PTI): Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper Rajat Patidar, Phil Salt and Virat Kohli blasted half-centuries as the defending champions beat Mumbai Indians by 18 runs in an Indian Premier League match here on Sunday.
Salt (78 off 36 balls) and Kohli (50 off 38 balls) stitched together a 120-run stand for the opening wicket before Patidar scored a rapid 53 off just 20 balls as RCB posted 240 for 4.
In response, Mumbai Indians were restricted to 222 for 5, with RCB spinner Suyash Sharma (2/47) putting the skids on the home side with a double strike in the eighth over, from which they could not recover.
Sherfane Rutherford top-scored for MI with an unbeaten 71 off 31 balls.
While opener Rohit Sharma appeared to be struggling with a hamstring issue and had to retire hurt on 19, his partner Ryan Rickelton made 37, while Suryakumar Yadav (33) and Hardik Pandya (40) were the other contributors for MI.
Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru 240 for 4 in 20 overs (Phil Salt 78, Virat Kohli 50, Rajat Patidar 53, Tim David 35 not out).
Mumbai Indians: 222 for 5 in 20 overs (Sherfane Rutherford 71 not out, Ryan Rickelton 37, Hardik Pandya 40; Suyash Sharma 2/47).
