Aaj Tak district reporter Santosh Kumar Toppo’s whole family, comprising his parents and brother, was violently murdered during an attack related to a property disagreement in Chhattisgarh’s Surajpur on Friday afternoon. The event took place at approximately 1 pm on a contested parcel of land in the Jagannathpur region.
Reports indicate that Santosh’s parents, Maghe Toppo (57) and Basanti Toppo (55), together with his brother, Naresh Toppo (30), visited the location to start farming. The property was at the heart of a continuous family conflict.
While they were at the location, six to seven members of his extended family showed up. A spoken dispute intensified into aggression, with the assailants wielding axes and clubs.
Basanti and Naresh succumbed immediately to serious head trauma. Maghe, who sustained serious injuries, was transported to Ambikapur Medical College but passed away while receiving treatment.
Santosh’s sibling Umesh Toppo was able to evade the assault and alerted the villagers. Officers were summoned to the location, and an inquiry is in progress. The suspect escaped following the incident, and attempts to capture them are continuing.
Initial reports indicate that the contested land was cultivated by the assailants prior to the court’s decision favoring Santosh’s family. Conflicts regarding the property had been brewing for months, ultimately resulting in the violent clash.
Santosh Kumar Toppo was absent during the assault but lost three relatives in the event. Investigating the case are police teams from Khargawa and Pratappur.
