Suspect Arrested in Gruesome Murder Case
A convicted killer, Ram Prasad Sonwani, has been arrested on suspicion of raping and murdering a 50-year-old farm worker in a brutal attack in central India. The victim, Duklahin Bai Banjare, was found dismembered on the banks of the Shivnath River in Chhattisgarh state after she went missing from her home.
Sonwani, who was previously convicted of killing a woman in the same village nine years ago, allegedly broke into Banjare's home on July 6, struck her with a spade, raped her, and used a saw from her house to dismember her body. The remains were then wrapped and dumped by the river.
Investigation and Charges
Police launched an urgent search after Banjare's son reported her missing. A forensic team and sniffer dogs were deployed to the scene, leading to the recovery of the murder weapon, the saw, and partial stolen cash. Authorities recovered Rs 500 (£3.86) of the Rs 2,500 (£19.31) allegedly stolen from the victim.
Sonwani has been charged with murder, rape, destruction of evidence, robbery, and other offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, India's criminal code. He has not yet entered a plea, and the case is expected to proceed to trial.
Background of the Victim
Duklahin Bai Banjare, a resident of Raipur, was in the Sonpuri village to tend to her family's farm. Her remains were discovered on the banks of the Shivnath River, a tributary of the Mahanadi River in central India.
