A court in Korba sentenced Harbhajan Singh Kanwar, son of former Madhya Pradesh Deputy CM Pyarelal Kanwar, and his wife to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of his younger brother, sister-in-law, and niece over a property dispute. The gruesome crime was planned via a chilling text message sent before the attack.
Korba, Chhattisgarh: A court in Korba has sentenced Harbhajan Singh Kanwar, son of former Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pyarelal Kanwar, and his wife to life imprisonment for the gruesome murder of his younger brother, sister-in-law, and their four-year-old daughter in 2021.
Along with the couple, three others were also given life imprisonment on Wednesday for their involvement in the crime, which stemmed from a bitter family dispute over property.
On April 21, 2021, in Bhaisma village, under the Urga police station area of Korba district, Chhattisgarh, Harish Kanwar (40), his wife Sumitra Kanwar (35), and their daughter Yashika (4) were mercilessly murdered in their home.
The assailants used sharp-edged weapons, attacking them multiple times on the head and other body parts. Harish Kanwar’s throat was chopped into pieces, making it a horrifying crime, said Additional Public Prosecutor Krishna Kumar Dwivedi.
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On January 31, 2024, District and Additional Sessions Judge (III) Sunil Kumar Nande convicted five individuals, sentencing them to life imprisonment under:
- Section 302 (murder)
- Section 120B (criminal conspiracy)
- Section 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The convicted individuals are:
- Harbhajan Singh Kanwar (52) – Harish’s elder brother
- Dhankunwar (39) – Harbhajan’s wife
- Parmeshwar Kanwar (31) – Harbhajan’s brother-in-law
- Ramprasad Mannewar (31) – Accomplice
- Surendra Singh Kanwar – Accomplice
Prosecutor Krishna Kumar Dwivedi revealed that the murder was carefully planned by Harbhajan, who wanted to eliminate his brother due to ongoing family and property disputes.
One of the most crucial pieces of evidence in the case was a cell phone message sent by Harbhajan to Parmeshwar just before the attack. The message read:
“Gate khula hai, aap log aa jaaiye” (“The gate is open, you can come in.”)
Once the message was sent, Harbhajan, his wife, and their daughters left the house for an early morning walk to ensure they were not present at the scene.
Parmeshwar Kanwar, along with two accomplices, arrived on a motorcycle and murdered Harish, Sumitra, and their daughter Yashika in cold blood.
Shockingly, Harish’s mother, Janki Bai, was inside the house but was spared by the killers.
Following a thorough investigation, the police arrested Harbhajan, his wife, brother-in-law, and two other men involved in the brutal crime.
Pyarelal Kanwar served as the Deputy CM of undivided Madhya Pradesh from 1993 to 1998 during Digvijay Singh’s tenure. He was a prominent politician but passed away in 2011.
This high-profile murder case has shocked the region, highlighting how family disputes over property can escalate into violent crimes. The court’s life sentence verdict brings some closure to the victims’ family, ensuring that justice is served.
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