Diya 
In a spine-chilling murder that has shocked the people of Chhattisgarh, a mother-son duo was allegedly killed by her cousin and lover in a well-planned and cold-blooded act. The case, which unfolded in the serene village of Balrampur district, exposes the dark and dangerous layers of betrayal, illicit affairs, and premeditated murder.
The victims, Sunita Devi (35) and her son Rahul (12), were reported missing on June 21st. What initially seemed like a routine missing case quickly turned into a murder probe after two bodies were found in separate wells within a 5-kilometre radius.
Twisted Tale of Love, Blood, and Betrayal
According to the Balrampur police, the main accused, Ramesh Sahu (38), was Sunita’s maternal cousin. But their relationship had crossed boundaries—it had turned into an illicit affair despite Sunita being a widow and Ramesh being married.
Although everyone knew they were too close, it got worse when Sunita started putting pressure on Ramesh to leave his wife for her, and then she allegedly threatened to go public with it.
Under the pressure of getting exposed, Ramesh, along with his accomplice and friend, Vijay (33), reportedly made a plan to eliminate Sunita once and for all and kill her son too, who had started to suspect his mother’s secret visits.
The Night of the Murder
Ramesh lured Sunita out of her home on June 21st around 7:30 PM by saying he wanted to have a serious conversation. Using her cousin-turned-lover’s trust, she brought her son, Rahul. That was the last time anyone saw them alive.
According to police, the two accused took Sunita and Rahul to a deserted field, where they first strangled Sunita with a dupatta. Rahul reportedly tried to escape, but was chased down and hit repeatedly with a stone until he died.
After ensuring both were dead, Ramesh and Vijay tied the bodies in separate sacks and rode on a motorcycle during the dead of night to dump them in two different wells to avoid detection.
Discovery of the Bodies
On June 24th, villagers from nearby Gopalpur spotted a foul smell coming from an unused well. When they alerted the authorities, the police pulled out a decomposed body, later identified as Sunita’s.
Just a day later, another local from Patpara village reported seeing a hand floating in a well meant for cattle use. The body was that of a 12-year-old Rahul.
The gruesome discovery sent shockwaves across the district, and local women and children refused to step out alone after dark for days.
Breakthrough and Arrest
Balrampur Superintendent of Police, Indira Kalyan Elesela, led the investigation herself after it was revealed that Sunita had received a call from Ramesh minutes before she left home. With help from mobile tower location mapping and CCTV footage from a local shop, Ramesh and Vijay were arrested within 48 hours of the body recovery.
“During interrogation, Ramesh confessed that he felt trapped. He didn’t want to marry Sunita and feared she would ruin his life by exposing their relationship,” SP Elesela revealed in a press briefing. “Shockingly, the accused showed no remorse.”
The Aftermath: A Village in Shock
The double murder has torn the social fabric of the small, tribal-dominated village. Locals who once admired Ramesh for his cheerful demeanor now refuse to even mention his name. “He was like a brother to her… we can’t believe he would do something so evil,” said an elderly villager.
Sunita’s distant relatives have taken custody of her younger daughter, who was at a relative’s house during the incident.
The Chhattisgarh Women’s Commission has called for a fast-track trial, and the district collector has assured financial and psychological support for the surviving family members.
This case is not just about a murder; it’s about how love, when twisted with obsession and betrayal, can turn fatal. In a state like Chhattisgarh, where crime rates are relatively low in rural belts, this gruesome incident has become a talking point in every household.
It is a haunting reminder of the fact that sometimes, the danger doesn’t come from the outside world, but from within your circle, from someone you once trusted the most.
As the police prepare to file the chargesheet, the people of Balrampur wait for justice, with shaken hearts, but steady hope.
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