Chhattisgarh

Raipur, Chhattisgarh: The Chhattisgarh government has announced changes to the state’s excise policy, reducing the number of annual dry days from seven to three and allowing liquor shops to remain open during festivals like Holi and Muharram. The decision has sparked criticism from opposition parties and social organizations. Under the previous policy, liquor shops were closed on major religious and national occasions, and the entire state observed a dry day. The government’s move to open shops during these occasions marks a significant departure from tradition, prompting debates about morality, social values, and revenue generation. Government’s Rationale Officials argue that the policy aims to balance regulation with challenges of enforcement and public demand. Liquor shops will...

Raipur, Chhattisgarh: The Chhattisgarh High Court has delivered a verdict in a 22-year-old Dhamtari sexual assault case, reducing the sentence of a convict previously found guilty of rape. The court reclassified the offense as attempted rape. Court’s Ruling on Penetration Hearing the appeal against the trial court’s verdict, the bench led by Justice Narendra Kumar Vyas stated that if penetration did not occur during the act, the incident should be treated as an attempt to commit rape rather than actual rape. Medical reports showed that the victim’s hymen was intact, although partial penetration with a fingertip may have occurred. Based on this finding, the High Court reduced the convict’s prison term. Background of the Case The case dates back to 2004, when a young woman in ...

Raipur/Durg, Chhattisgarh: A shocking case has come to light in Raipur, where three friends running an idli-dosa cart in Mathpuraina were discovered to be the masterminds behind multiple burglaries. The gang carried out daytime reconnaissance in rural areas of Durg and struck at night, breaking into homes and stealing valuables. Police caught the gang using CCTV footage and mobile tower tracking, and also arrested three jewelry buyers who had purchased the stolen items. Masterminds Behind 18 Burglaries The trio, led by Manish Amoria, had been targeting rural regions in Durg for several months. While selling idli and dosa in Raipur by day, they executed thefts at night in villages, stealing cash and jewelry. Manish Amoria already has 10 prior cases registered against him in Rajnandgao...

Bilaspur, Feb 9, 2026: Panic gripped residents near the old bus stand in Bilaspur when a human hand was seen emerging from a blocked drain. Initially feared to be a corpse, the scene quickly took a dramatic turn when cries for help revealed that a man was trapped alive inside. The trapped individual, identified as Ram Kumar Chauhan, a resident of the Jondhara area, is estimated to be between 32 and 34 years old. According to his account, he had been stuck in the drain for five days. Rescue Operation:Upon receiving reports, teams from the Municipal Corporation and local police rushed to the site. Using a JCB machine, they carefully broke the concrete slab covering the drain, eventually pulling Ram Kumar to safety. Onlookers watched in shock as the man emerged unharmed, despite reporte...

Raipur:In a significant judgment reinforcing the principles of Muslim personal law, the Chhattisgarh High Court has ruled that a Muslim individual cannot transfer more than one-third of their property through a will, unless the remaining legal heirs give clear consent after the death of the testator. The ruling came in a long-running dispute from Korba district, where a 64-year-old widow fought a decade-long legal battle to reclaim her rightful share in her late husband’s property. Widow Challenges Alleged Fake Will The petitioner, Zaibun Nisha (64), approached the High Court after two lower courts denied her claim over the property of her late husband Abdul Sattar Lodhia, who passed away in 2004. After Abdul Sattar’s death, his nephew Mohammad Sikandar produced a will claiming...

Raipur:As the government’s deadline to eliminate Maoist insurgency from India by March 31, 2026 draws closer, security agencies are intensifying operations in Maoist-affected regions. While a large number of cadres have surrendered under the government’s rehabilitation policy, officials remain concerned that a handful of hardened leaders are still active in the forests, continuing to fuel insurgency. In Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh, surrendered Maoists are now being trained in skills such as driving, tailoring, masonry, and other livelihood-based professions to help them reintegrate into mainstream society. The initiative is part of the government’s surrender-cum-rehabilitation programme, aimed at ensuring that former insurgents can rebuild their lives peacefully. 80 Maoists Unde...

Raipur: In a unique and emotionally driven initiative aimed at bringing Maoists back into the mainstream, the Chhattisgarh government has launched a campaign through All India Radio (Akashvani), broadcasting heartfelt messages recorded by family members of Maoist cadres. Since mobile networks remain unreliable in the dense forests of Bastar, the government has turned to radio waves—one of the most accessible sources of communication in remote tribal regions—to deliver voices of hope, love, and reunion. Emotional Messages Broadcast in Maoist Strongholds One such message comes from Anil Kurmi of Sukma, appealing to his sister, who joined the Maoist movement during her teenage years and now reportedly uses the alias “Kranti”. In his message, Anil says:"Dear sister, you left home w...

GADCHIROLI: In a major breakthrough against Naxal insurgents, Maharashtra police killed seven Naxals, including the dreaded top commander Prabhakar, who carried a bounty of ₹25 lakh. The operation, carried out over three days near Fodewada village on the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border, saw the martyrdom of C-60 commando Deepak Chinna Madavi. Security forces recovered a significant cache of arms from the encounter site. The special anti-Maoist unit, C-60, launched the operation after receiving intelligence on Naxal movements from Chhattisgarh. The operation began on the night of 3 February. By Thursday night, the bodies of three Naxals were recovered, followed by four more on Friday, bringing the total number of casualties to seven — including four men and three women. Authorities seize...

Bijapur, Chhattisgarh: In a major development in Chhattisgarh’s Naxal-affected Bijapur district, 12 Naxal cadres surrendered to security forces on Thursday, handing over their weapons and opting to return to the mainstream. The surrendering Maoists had a combined bounty of ₹54 lakh on their heads. Weapons Seized and Cadres Integrated: Police officials confirmed that the Naxals surrendered under the ongoing ‘Poona Margem’ anti-Maoist campaign, which aims to encourage militants to abandon extremism and reintegrate into society. The surrendered cadres handed over AK-47s, SLR rifles, and ammunition to the security personnel. All belonged to the South Sub-Zonal Bureau of the Maoist network. Among the 12, there were 8 female cadres and 4 male cadres. Government’s Anti-Maoist Efforts Bea...

Bijapur, Chhattisgarh: Security forces achieved a major success in Naxal-affected Bijapur district, eliminating notorious Naxal commander Udham Singh in a gunbattle. Singh, wanted for multiple violent incidents, including the 2021 TekulGudem attack that claimed the lives of 22 security personnel, had a reward of ₹8 lakh on his head. Notorious Background: Udham Singh was a highly active commander within the DVCM Naxal outfit, responsible for Platoon No. 30 and overseeing operations in the Jagurgunda Area Committee. He was reportedly one of the masterminds behind the TekulGudem attack and was involved in planning and executing several other violent acts. The Encounter: The encounter began Thursday morning around 7:30 AM near the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border, when security forces...