A house bought back after nearly two decades and a family relationship that steadily deteriorated are at the centre of the police investigation into the murder of a 25-year-old man in Bhopal’s Gautam Nagar area.
Investigators are examining whether a long-running property dispute, along with other allegations made by the victim’s family, led to the fatal stabbing of Sachin Panthi on Sunday night.
Sachin Panthi, a salesman at a crockery shop in Chowk Bazaar, was allegedly attacked with a knife near a liquor shop close to his home. Police said he suffered multiple stab injuries and was declared dead after being taken to hospital. His cousin, Rakesh Panthi, has been named as the accused and remains absconding. Three police teams have been formed to trace him.
While the killing took place within minutes, investigators believe the dispute between the two families had been building for years.
According to the victim’s family, the roots of the conflict go back nearly 20 years, when the family’s grandmother gave a house in the locality to Sachin’s paternal aunt. The aunt and her husband later sold the property to another person. About two months ago, Sachin’s family bought the same house back, a move that, relatives claim, renewed tensions within the extended family.
Family members told police that relations worsened after the property changed hands again. They alleged that the accused frequently argued with them over the house and that the dispute became more intense in recent weeks.
The family has also alleged that around 20 days ago, during the housewarming ceremony at the newly purchased home, the accused behaved inappropriately with a woman in the family. They further claimed that he continued making objectionable remarks whenever they crossed paths and later issued threats over phone calls.
Police have not independently confirmed these allegations and said they are verifying them as part of the investigation.
According to the victim’s brother, the accused had repeatedly called him asking for a meeting. When he refused, the accused allegedly threatened that he would kill “whoever came in front of him”. Investigators are expected to examine call detail records (CDRs), mobile phone data and any digital communication between the two sides to verify the family’s claims and establish the sequence of events before the attack.
Police are also trying to determine whether the assault was pre-planned or whether it followed a sudden confrontation. Investigators are examining whether the accused was waiting near the liquor shop before Sachin arrived and are collecting evidence from the crime scene. CCTV footage from the area, if available, is also expected to form part of the investigation.
The victim’s family has claimed that the accused had previously served a jail sentence in a murder case and had a history of violent behaviour. Police said they are verifying his criminal record as part of the investigation. Officials have not yet confirmed the family’s claim.
Station House Officer Mahendra Singh Thakur said a murder case has been registered and teams are conducting raids at possible hideouts to arrest the accused. He said the investigation is focusing on all possible motives and evidence collected so far.
The post-mortem examination and forensic findings are also expected to help investigators establish the sequence of the attack and support the investigation.
With the accused still on the run, police are piecing together the events that unfolded before the fatal stabbing. Investigators are examining whether the dispute over the house was the main trigger or whether multiple factors contributed to the killing. The outcome of the digital evidence, witness statements and forensic examination is expected to determine the direction of the case.
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