Burnt Scorpio, diesel traces, chilling plot: Ex-Congress sarpanch family’s quadruple 'murder' jolts Rajasthan

AJMER: A charred SUV with three bodies inside and a fourth one found in a nearby field along a road in Ajmer district’s Arai area early Thursday led police to uncover suspected murders rather than a road accident.

A truck driver, after spotting flames engulfing a Scorpio about 1 km from Shri Rampura village near Arai, alerted villagers, who reached the spot with water tankers and doused the fire around 5.30am.

At first, the incident appeared to be a vehicle fire caused by an internal defect, trapping the occupants. Police later said evidence pointed to a planned killing.

The deceased were identified as former Congress sarpanch Ram Singh Choudhary (52), his wife and former Ajmer Zila Parishad member Surgyan Devi (45), his mother Poosa Devi (78), and his niece Mahima.

Choudhary was a former sarpanch of Borada Gram Panchayat.

Based on local inputs, police initially considered that the family was heading to a hospital after Poosa Devi complained of chest pain, but the theory shifted after investigators examined the family’s home in Shri Rampura village.

Ajmer SP Harsh Vardhan Agarwala said, “I directed a murder probe after blood stains and other evidence were found at Choudhary’s residence in his village.”

A police official said, “The main room of the house was found to be freshly washed, but there were blood stains, and nearby we found two bricks with blood marks,” adding, “The SUV was found in the opposite direction of the local hospital near Borada.”

Investigators also found diesel traces linked to a tractor on the property. Police suspect the killings occurred at the house before the bodies were moved in the SUV and the vehicle set on fire to destroy evidence.

As investigations progressed, disturbing details about family dynamics emerged. Choudhary had two wives—his first wife had two teenage children—and reports surfaced of domestic violence.

“Neighbours and village seniors reported that Choudhary was habitual drinker and regularly beat his first wife, and there were loud shouts from their house Wednesday night as he was allegedly beating his daughter from first marriage,” a police official said.

“We have called the first wife and her two teenage children for questioning and sent the bodies for post-mortem; preliminary examination shows signs of throat cuts on the bodies,” a police official said. No arrests had been announced till late Thursday as the investigation continued.