Two Murders on the Same Date in Seven Years: Chhattisgarh Police Crack Blind Murder Case Using Old CCTV Footage

Mahasamund, Chhattisgarh: Chhattisgarh police have solved a blind murder case of a woman, arresting accused Suraj Dhruv. According to Tumgaon police, Dhruv strangled the victim on April 2, 2025, and dumped her body in a forested area. Remarkably, seven years earlier, on the same date—April 2, 2018—his wife was found dead in a nearby drain, also strangled.

Case Breakthrough Through Old CCTV Footage

The case gained momentum when investigators reviewed a year-old CCTV footage from last year’s Mahasamund murder of Sunita Rajak. The footage showed Suraj Dhruv on a motorcycle with the victim. Police traced the bike, which belonged to a relative of the accused, leading them to Dhruv. During interrogation, he confessed to the crime in full detail.

Planning and Execution of the Murder

Sunita Rajak and her husband, Rajesh, residents of Dhamtari district, were reportedly in debt of ₹7 lakh. On January 30, 2025, Sunita met Suraj Dhruv, who later lured her under the pretext of a job offer. He took her to a dilapidated house near a relative’s home, where she stayed for about two months. When she insisted on returning home in March, Dhruv allegedly planned her murder.

According to police, Dhruv strangled Sunita near Kodar Dam forest and stole her gold jewelry. After her disappearance, her family filed a missing person report. Local tendu leaf collectors later informed the police about her partially burned body in the forest. Sunita’s body was formally identified on April 2, 2025.

A Chilling Pattern

Suraj Dhruv had previously been accused of murdering his wife, Santoshi, whose body was found on April 2, 2018, behind their house in a drain. In 2019, based on 12 witness statements and a confession, a sessions court sentenced him to life imprisonment. However, on December 13, 2024, the High Court overturned the verdict citing lack of evidence, acquitting Dhruv.

Now, he has been arrested in connection with Sunita Rajak’s murder. Police continue to investigate to determine if there are links between the two crimes.