Two Minors Among Those Arrested for Murder of Dhamtari Fish Vendor

In a shocking development, two under‑age individuals have been arrested in connection with the killing of a fish vendor in Dhamtari district. The victim, identified as Vipul Mandal, was attacked on June 27 while returning from the Nagri market.

Investigators revealed that a total of five workers from the vendor’s own establishment participated in the homicide. The youths, aged below eighteen, were part of a larger group that had previously attempted to murder the trader on June 25 but were foiled.

The successful second attack unfolded on a remote stretch of the Goragav‑Bhaisamuda road, where the accused pounced on the trader, delivering a barrage of blows with a wooden stick followed by a series of knife stabs. The autopsy confirmed more than forty stabs, leading to his immediate death.

After the brutal act, the suspects looted the cash earned from the day’s fish sales and took the victim’s mobile phone. Forensic evidence and the suspects’ statements enabled the police to secure arrests.

The three adult perpetrators were sent to jail, while the two minors have been placed under the jurisdiction of a juvenile reform home pending further legal action.