'Haunted by ghost' of friend he murdered, Chhattisgarh man surrenders

Raipur, April 1 : In a chilling case that blends crime with superstition, a man in Bhagwanpur area under Gandhinagar Police Station of Chhatisgarh's Ambikapur district, on Wednesday, surrendered to police after self-proclaims of "being haunted by visions of his deceased friend's ghost", leading to the recovery of the body buried inside his own house.

The incident occurred on the intervening night of March 24 and 25.

According to the accused statement, Brijlal Agariya (35) had gone to the house of Mithlesh Kujur (37) while drunk and insisted on having a drink together.

As it was the holy period of Navratri, Mithlesh refused, sparking a heated argument that soon turned into a physical scuffle.

In the altercation, Brijlal damaged Mithlesh's mobile phone.

Enraged by this, Mithlesh picked up a stick and bludgeoned Brijlal to death on the spot.

To conceal the crime, Mithlesh and his wife Rajkumari (36) dug a pit inside their house, placed the body in it, covered it with a plywood board and piled soil over it.

The couple then fled their home and hid at a relative's place.

However, Mithlesh soon began suffering intense mental trauma.

He repeatedly claimed to see the "ghost" of his friend demanding that his last rites be performed.

Speaking to IANS, Rahul Bansal, City Superintendent of Police, said that tormented by fear and guilt, he decided to confess but his "ghost story" is not digestable.

"In fact he (Mithlesh) could not hide his crime and it was difficult for him to conceal the dead body for a long time. Under fear and psychological pressure, he confessed his crime. Police are investigating the matter and actual reason behind the murder. Police have sensed something else and will reach the conclusion soon."

On Tuesday night, Mithlesh voluntarily walked into Gandhinagar Police Station and confessed to the murder.

Acting on his statement, a police team rushed to the spot.

On Wednesday morning, a team led by City SP Rahul Bansal, along with forensic experts, reached the house.

The body was exhumed from the spot indicated by the accused, which led to the recovery of Brijlal Agariya's body.

Police completed the necessary 'panchnama', sent the body for post-mortem examination, and arrested both Mithlesh Kujur and his wife Rajkumari.

The case has shocked the local community, with many attributing the accused's surrender to divine fear or supernatural intervention.

Police officials described it as a rare instance where the perpetrator himself led them to the hidden body due to overwhelming guilt and hallucinations.

Senior officers confirmed that the investigation is ongoing and all legal procedures are being followed strictly.

The accused has been booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code for murder and concealment of evidence.

This incident once again highlights how guilt and psychological pressure can force even careful criminals to surrender, sometimes in dramatic ways.

The police have appealed to citizens to report any suspicious activity and cooperate in maintaining law and order.