In a tragic incident in Damoh district of Madhya Pradesh, a primary school teacher, Rajesh Tripathi, 47, was allegedly robbed of Rs 4 lakh and burnt alive on Thursday night. The incident took place near a canal between Hart and Baroda, under the jurisdiction of Hata police station.
Rajesh, a resident of Sunwaha and son of R. P. Tripathi, had reportedly visited Hata and was returning home on his bike carrying the money. According to his brother Mukesh, unidentified assailants intercepted Rajesh, assaulted him, and doused him with petrol before setting him on fire.
Rajesh managed to call his brother, informing him about the attack. Mukesh rushed to the scene along with family members to find Rajesh severely burnt, with his bike parked nearby. He was immediately taken to Hata Civil Hospital for initial treatment and later referred to the district hospital due to the severity of his injuries. However, doctors declared him dead after examination.
The police have recovered a bike and a bag from the site of the incident. Damoh Superintendent of Police, Shrut Kirti Somavanshi, confirmed that the investigation is ongoing. “We are currently relying on statements from the family and verifying all possible angles,” the officer told TOI.
The Hata police are investigating the crime scene, while the Kotwali police have also launched a serious probe into the incident from all directions. The family has formally informed the police about the robbery and murder, and the teacher’s body remains at the district hospital for further procedures.
