Ex-Rajasthan sarpanch, 2nd wife, 2 others killed, burned: What happened
What's the story
In a shocking incident in Rajasthan's Ajmer district, four family members were allegedly murdered and their bodies were set ablaze inside a Scorpio SUV. The victims include Ram Singh Choudhary, a former sarpanch, his mother Poosi Devi, second wife Suryagyan Devi and Mahima Chaudhary (daughter of his aunt). The incident took place in Shrirampura hamlet, around 60 kilometers from Ajmer, when a Mahindra Scorpio was discovered burning by locals on a roadway about 500 meters from the victims' home.
Family feud
Initially suspected to be an accident
Initially suspected to be an accident, the case took a turn when forensic evidence suggested foul play. An officer involved in the probe said, "Scientific evidence and local inputs gradually exposed the truth." The investigation revealed a domestic dispute between Ram Singh and his first wife Sunita over his second marriage. "Ram Singh had two wives, and there was a dispute in the family on this matter," Ajmer SP Harsh Vardhan Agarwala said.
Murder plot
Domestic dispute between 2 wives
Tensions escalated into a deadly argument late Wednesday night at their home. Sunita, along with her daughter Sarita and minor son, is suspected to have committed the murders using sharp-edged weapons. After the killings, they allegedly loaded the bodies into Ram Singh's Scorpio and set it on fire on the highway to make it look like an accident. SP Agarwala said "Small pieces of information from villagers and technical evidence exposed the entire conspiracy."
Act
Murder pre-planned
After the murders, Sunita joined other women from the community who were mourning, crying uncontrollably and appearing heartbroken by the tragedy. According to Bhaskar English, police investigation revealed that Sunita and Ram Singh's minor boy had been planning the murders for months. He even bought a knife online and tried to procure a pistol for ₹50,000. He allegedly admitted to cops that he had previously attempted to kill his father by poisoning his meals and pushing him into a mine.
Ongoing probe
Family history
The family lived in a farmhouse near Shrirampura village but stayed separately. The father lived with his second wife Surgyan in one room, while Sunita and their children occupied another section of the house. According to investigators, Ram Singh often mistreated Sunita, as well as their son and daughter, causing constant family disagreements. The son was allegedly beaten by Ram Singh on Wednesday morning over a trivial matter. Later that evening, he bought two beer bottles for his father.
Event
Son gave father beer before murder
After drinking beer, Ram Singh allegedly tried to harass Sunita again. This led the minor son to murder both his father and stepmother with a knife, Bhaskar English reported. Hearing their screams, Ram Singh's mother Poosi Devi and Mahima rushed to the scene but were also killed. Sunita and her adult daughter are said to have assisted in these murders. After the murders, the accused allegedly loaded the victims into Ram Singh's Scorpio SUV and set it on fire.
Confession
Family members tried to mislead police
The second wife managed to escape from the burning vehicle but succumbed to her injuries later. The police were informed about the burning vehicle by employees at a nearby toll plaza around 5:45am. Initially, the family members tried to mislead the police by claiming that Poosi Devi had breathing difficulties and an accident occurred while taking her to a hospital. However, under sustained questioning, the minor confessed to the murders.