A night of celebration at a Ranchi housewarming turned into horror as a money dispute led to a brutal killing. Atul Chaddha, 32, mowed down his former friend Dharmendra Kumar, 40, using his powerful Thar Roxx SUV, injuring six others in the process. Authorities confirmed the arrest of the prime suspect late Thursday.
The two men, once close buddies, had been at loggerheads over unpaid debts for some time. The flashpoint occurred at Amravati Colony’s gruhpravesh event, where heated exchanges gave way to insults. Seething with anger, Chaddha targeted Kumar with his vehicle near Durga Temple in South Railway Colony, dragging him fatally under the tires.
Chaos ensued as the SUV plowed into a group of onlookers, sending six to the hospital. Victims include elderly Annapurna Naidu, young Kunal Naidu, Sandeep Mahato, Amit Singh, and Prashant Gaurav. While most are stable, two face life-threatening injuries.
Kumar was declared dead on arrival at the hospital; his remains underwent postmortem at RIMS. The deceased’s father filed an FIR at Chutia thana under BNS sections 109(1), 103(1), and 61(2). Officers seized the black Thar Roxx and a cellphone, linking them directly to the crime scene.
Chaddha’s criminal past includes multiple prior offenses, suggesting a pattern of violent behavior. Ranchi police are probing deeper into the financial feud that triggered this road rage homicide. Community leaders express outrage, urging stricter vigilance during public gatherings to prevent such escalations from claiming innocent lives.