Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): It was a rainy night on August 29, 2020, in Dhamarravillage. Lightning flashed across the sky and heavy rain poured down. Around 9 PM, 26-year-old Dharmendra Chauhan, a shopping mall staff at Shahpura, called his brother.“I won’t come home tonight. The rain is too much,” he said.
Next morning, Dharmendra was found dead near a roadside about a kilometre from his house, lying close to a field. A deep injury marked his head, and one hand rested on a wire fence burnt by electric shock. His bike was parked 50 meters away, without any damage.
Gunga police, led by SDOP Manikmani Kumawat, investigated the spot with a forensic team. At first, police suspected death by lightning strike during stormy weather, supported by the post-mortem report suggesting electrocution.
Dharmendra’s family cried foul play. Police noticed unusual clues and changed their investigation angle.When questioned, Dharmendra’s family revealed he was in a relationship with a girl from Gunga. Her father, Rais Khan, opposed it fiercely and had threatened Dharmendra’s brother before.
Police found Dharmendra’s clenched fist suspicious — unusual for someone riding a bike.Focus shifted to Rais Khan. Police traced Dharmendra’s movements and confirmed he went to meet the girl that night. Rais Khan had found out.
Clues proved Dharmendra’s death wasn’t accidental lightning, it was murder.
Confession & arrest
On January 4, 2021, police arrested Rais Khan. During questioning, he confessed. He didn’t want Dharmendra near his daughter and decided to kill him.Using storm as cover, Rais Khan hit Dharmendra’s head with a stone, then used a wire to electrocute him. The wire had been connected to a high-tension electric line.
He moved the body, placed the hand on the fence to fake an accident, and set the bike nearby to complete the illusion.What looked like natural tragedy was a carefully planned murder. Small clues — clenched fist, untouched bike, odd location, hidden wire told the real story.
Clues that cracked case: Pic closed fist
Dharmendra’s hand was tightly clenched, unusual in electric shock or a fall. It looked like someone died holding something or under great stress, raising first doubts.A sudden lightning strike or fatal shock should cause a crash. But bike was undamaged, and key placed carefully nearby. It looked staged. Dharmendra worked at a shopping mall in Shahpura, far from where he died. So why was he in Gunga during heavy rain that night?
Crucial evidence
Near crime scene, police found a wire hidden in bushes. Connected to a high-tension electric line, it wasn’t part of fencing or machinery. Testing confirmed wire matched burn marks on Dharmendra’s body.
Dharmendra’s relationship with a girl from Gunga angered her father, Rais Khan. His threats to Dharmendra’s family showed his intent. To keep Dharmendra away, Rais Khan planned a murder disguised as an accident, using storm and electricity as cover.
