Man kills woman, her alleged lover with axe in Anuppur, held in 6 hours

Anuppur: Police in Anuppur district on Saturday claimed to have solved a blind double murder case within six hours of the crime, arresting a man who allegedly killed a woman and her alleged lover with an axe over objections to their relationship.

According to police, the bodies of 35-year-old Surendra Soni and 48-year-old Lalli Bai Gond were found in the Bhalugudar area under Bijuri police station limits on Thursday morning. Officers said both victims sustained fatal head and facial injuries caused by a sharp-edged weapon.

During the investigation, police formed special teams and sought assistance from forensic experts, dog squad and fingerprint teams to gather evidence from the scene. Based on technical and circumstantial evidence, police detained the accused, identified as Sunil Singh Marko alias Nankunu, a resident of Bhalumada.

Police alleged that the accused was staying at the woman’s house for the past several days while working as a labourer in Bijuri. During questioning, he allegedly confessed that he was upset over the woman’s relationship with Surendra and had earlier warned the man against visiting her house. Police said the accused harboured resentment after Surendra allegedly threatened him during a previous confrontation.

Investigators alleged that on the night of May 14, the accused attacked Surendra with the blunt side of an axe after finding him alone with the woman. When Surendra tried to flee, the accused allegedly chased and killed him near a boundary wall. Police further claimed that the woman, who witnessed the attack, was also killed to eliminate evidence.

Police said the accused later shifted the woman’s body inside the house, covered bloodstains with cow dung and hid the weapon and clothes used during the crime. The axe was later recovered based on his disclosure.

Officials added that the accused was earlier jailed in a dowry death case linked to his wife’s suicide.